Broken Flowers Review
By David Kempler
Slow, Yet Tempting Flowers
In "
Broken Flowers," talented low-key director Jim Jarmusch is teamed with talented low-key actor Bill Murray. Guess what? The result is a very, very low-key movie. Surprisingly, it does work, although the pace is not quite as quick as a snail race. Some scenes do crackle, especially once this road trip movie actually hits the road.
The film begins with Don Johnston (Murray), a retired computer entrepreneur, being dumped by his girlfriend. His reaction to her leaving is as animated as if he had been told it might rain later in the week. Not even a hint of his feeling can be read from Murray's usual deadpan frown. "Broken Flowers" gets started soon after when he opens his mail and reads a letter saying that he has a son born twenty years ago. The letter is unsigned so he has not a clue who it's from.
He's had quite an active sexual past so figuring it out won't be easy. He seems unmoved by this turn of events but when he tells his neighbor Winston (Jeffrey Wright) what has happened, amateur detective Winston becomes obsessed with learning the identity of the lady who wrote the note. Winston convinces Don to track her down after Don narrows the possible field to four women. Winston designs the trip, down to booking cars and motel rooms across the country. He is far more excited about it than Don.
Reluctantly, Don goes on his journey that takes him to four extremely different ladies, played respectively by Sharon Stone, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, and Tilda Swinton. These are the best scenes in the film, especially the one with Ms. Stone, and her young and exhibitionistic daughter, aptly named Lolita (Alexis Dziena).
Don returns home after his trek, a changed man, or as changed as Don is capable of being. I won't give away what Don learned, but it is a Jarmusch movie, and his films are not your typical Hollywood fare. "Broken Flowers" moves slowly and deliberately, but delivers enough along the way to make you enjoy smelling the roses.
