The plot is as follows: three men are imprisoned together and escape. That’s it.
You don’t even see how they escape, one of the guys says that he has thought up a plan and in the next scene they’re free. The most dramatic part of the story happens off-screen. It doesn’t matter how they did it, after all, all that matters is that they did. The film is about how they feel- a dramatic Steve McQueen motorcycle jump would have been superfluous.
This film isn’t episodic, dramatic, exciting, colourful, full of surprise twists or complex snappy dialogue. The trailer must’ve been a bitch to cut because for long periods literally nothing happens. Tracking shots or silent footage of characters ignoring one another set to a gruff musical soundtrack take up a huge proportion of the film. There are three lead characters and one barely appears until about halfway in. They are very real and grounded characters in a fearful situation desperately trying to hide their fear. They don’t like each other, they don’t really learn to get on, they don’t especially develop, Jarmusch simply allows the audience to gradually share their deeper emotions. A great director placing his trust in the actors, giving them time and space to deliver: it is a marvel of understatement.
The intelligence that shines through repeatedly (the first example that springs to mind is the shack that the three men find following the jailbreak being a replica of their shared cell) isn’t self-indulgent or self-serving, but delivered with warmth.
This is a dark, slow, visually striking, engaging, atmospheric and thought-provoking modern day fairytale. A real feast.
