The Limits of Control

I really worship at the alter of Jim Jarmusch. I actually keep a collection of some his quotes that mostly consist of how he operates and well his thoughts on film in general and I also agree with those that state he is one of the many that saved independent filmmaking, paving the way for others to follow in his steps. Yet I'm not a supporter of all of his films, some like Dead Man I just find too random and boring as if I'm missing a special message behind the story. I've had this stubborn streak in me when it comes to films that go too deep, and hopefully some of my peers that study film could help me understand a lot of the motivations that characters in Jarmusch films have. And yet here I'm pretty sure that I'm not missing any messages with The Limits of Control. Maybe it is a deconstruction of Hitchcock or Lee Marvin thrillers? Whatever the case may be, this film is one of Jarmusch's most self-conscious films with characters undertaking long pauses when they speak and any moments that build up with suspense tend to just sizzle into another long talk. Isaach De Bankole stars as the Lone Man (that is in fact his credited character) who must be an assassin of some kind that sort of operates like a character from a road movie. He moves around meeting several contacts that include the Blonde (Tilda Swinton), the Mexican (Gael Garcia Bernal), the Guitar Guy (John Hurt), the Driver (Hiam Abbass), and the Nude (Paz De La Huerta). Bill Murray also appears and is credited as the American. This self-indulgent film might gain a little bit of praise from the art house crowd but it is frankly too boring to engage you in any way than that of an overly passive observer.