Broken Flowers [DVD]

A simple movie with a simple message, yeah, its slow moving but got for g'sakes you cant watch Transformers (fast but rubbish) all your life.

I think this movie asks me: what would you do if you were older, and alone, and you discovered you had a son but didnt know who he was or the mother? Would you go looking for him by visiting every one of your ex-girlfiends after 20 years? Isnt the past a dead world?

I thought Lost in Translation was boring but here I was hooked because I wanted to see what each of Bill Murrays (Don) ex-girlfriends were like. And how they would react to seeing Don.

I wanted a lovely ending, I wanted reconciliation, I wanted the boy he meets at the end to be his son.... but I think the movie ends as realistically as jarmusch could make it... with no answers. Don reaps what he sowed.... emptiness.

I found `Broken Flowers' to be an extremely entertaining and delightful tale starring Bill Murray in the kind of dry and deadpan role that made `Lost In Translation' such an enjoyable success. Here he plays Don Johnston - an ageing and distant `Casanova'. When dumped by his latest lover Sherry (Julie Delpy) Don's response is to once more accept that the life of a single man is meant for him. But his uncomplicated and seemingly tedious life suddenly livens up dramatically when he gets a mysterious pink letter through the post. In it the anonymous writer tells him that he has a 19 year old son who could be looking for him - quite a turn of events for somebody who prefers a low key existence!

At first Don's reaction is not to react. As usual he's willing to sit back and do nothing. But he hasn't allowed for his neighbour and closest friend (and he doesn't have many!) Winston (Jeffrey Wright). Being something of an amateur detective Winston is far more intrigued and excited than Don is by this `mystery' and pushes him to investigate it. Don has no enthusiasm for delving into his past love lives but despite his reluctance he sets off on a journey across the country to call on four `old flames'. These out of the blue visits to each of these very individual and different women bring new surprises for Don as he awkwardly finds himself facing both his past and his present. And it's an absolute delight to follow his progress and watch his discoveries...

The film may have an apparently simple story but thanks to the astute direction of director/writer Jim Jarmusch it's full of depth and interest. It has a wonderfully pleasing feel but is also very touching. Seeing the women who were once big parts of his life has an unexpected impact on the previously jaded Don. As the story unfolds he finds himself awakening and at last becoming in touch with feelings that he either didn't know were there or he'd buried deep. There are lots of offbeat and amusing moments and plenty of tender and poignant ones too. I wont give any more away because the beauty of this film is in watching events take place and enjoying each unexpected turn. Don't expect anything fast paced - it's a story that would be ruined if rushed. Its measured pace allows its subtlety and mood to provide so much charm, warmth and sadness too. Murray excels as the cynical empty loner who goes on a voyage against his wishes and finds out so much about himself and others. Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Sharon Stone, and Tilda Swinton as the four former girlfriends all add differing and fascinating cameos.

So many people have criticised the film for lack of pace or action. What's wrong with allowing a tale to develop and letting its pace give us time to enjoy and learn about the characters and motives? A very rewarding film and a thumbs up from me.

Truly astonishing that reviewers here are so hung up on action and can't appreciate the beauty of Broken Flowers, the deliciously subtle and playful humour, the craft of the director and cinematographer and above all the superb acting from a fine ensemble cast, led by the ever deadpan Bill Murray. Seems some people are uncomfortable with the time and space in which the characters live and breathe in their own quiet way, and also with the ambiguous resolution. Sorry guys, but life's like that! Well, don't watch if you're expecting labarynthine plot twists or ten deaths a minute, but luxuriate in the atmosphere, drink it in. This is not a perfect film but the good things here are totally spellbinding.