A depressed musician reunites with his lover, though their romance - which has already endured several centuries - is disrupted by the arrival of uncontrollable younger sister.
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While many directors have fallen prey to Hollywood in respect to their creative inputs, Jim Jarmusch has managed to stay on the outskirts of the norm for the past 30 years. With offerings in the past such as Broken Flowers (2005), Dead Man (1995) and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), Jarmusch has always stayed relevant on the Indie spectrum.
His latest tale of two vampiric lovers sees a doom and gloom musician named Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and his centuries long lover Eve (Tilda Swinton) living their lives separately on opposite ends of the Earth, although very much still in love. When Eve's sister turns up out of the blue there lives are thrown into a downward spiral and the precious red nectar they feed on becomes scarce.
Jarmusch does something rather extraordinary in this film by breathing life into a genre that was believed to be drained of life (pardon the pun). His use of colour and composition immerses you in the dark shadowy world in which these characters dwell. The music composed by Jarmusch's band SQÜRL is a strangely hypnotic and beautiful blend of slow beats and broken guitar that draws you into the film from the beginning.
The real draw in this film however is the performances from Hiddleston and Swinton, who as individuals never quite invest your attention, but together become a concoction of sexual energy that you can never take your eyes off.
The film touches on the subject of humanities indiscretions towards nature. Highlighted in the film by Adam (Hiddleston) calling humans "zombies" and going further on to saying how they "contaminated their own blood". By the end of the film you find yourself resenting the human in you and admiring the grace of these intelligent and beautiful creatures.
Only Lovers Left Alive may not be for the casual movie going audience or even the current swell of vampire lovers (*Cough* Twighlight). But to the more attuned movie going audiences, Only Lovers left Alive offers a strangely enjoyable journey and a refreshing take on the vampire genre. It's nice to see Jim Jarmusch, after 30 years of film making, is still sticking to his roots and continues to be a pioneer in the independent film scene.
Rating: ★★★★☆
While many directors have fallen prey to Hollywood in respect to their creative inputs, Jim Jarmusch has managed to stay on the outskirts of the norm for the past 30 years. With offerings in the past such as Broken Flowers (2005), Dead Man (1995) and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), Jarmusch has always stayed relevant on the Indie spectrum.
His latest tale of two vampiric lovers sees a doom and gloom musician named Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and his centuries long lover Eve (Tilda Swinton) living their lives separately on opposite ends of the Earth, although very much still in love. When Eve's sister turns up out of the blue there lives are thrown into a downward spiral and the precious red nectar they feed on becomes scarce.
Jarmusch does something rather extraordinary in this film by breathing life into a genre that was believed to be drained of life (pardon the pun). His use of colour and composition immerses you in the dark shadowy world in which these characters dwell. The music composed by Jarmusch's band SQÜRL is a strangely hypnotic and beautiful blend of slow beats and broken guitar that draws you into the film from the beginning.
The real draw in this film however is the performances from Hiddleston and Swinton, who as individuals never quite invest your attention, but together become a concoction of sexual energy that you can never take your eyes off.
The film touches on the subject of humanities indiscretions towards nature. Highlighted in the film by Adam (Hiddleston) calling humans "zombies" and going further on to saying how they "contaminated their own blood". By the end of the film you find yourself resenting the human in you and admiring the grace of these intelligent and beautiful creatures.
Only Lovers Left Alive may not be for the casual movie going audience or even the current swell of vampire lovers (*Cough* Twighlight). But to the more attuned movie going audiences, Only Lovers left Alive offers a strangely enjoyable journey and a refreshing take on the vampire genre. It's nice to see Jim Jarmusch, after 30 years of film making, is still sticking to his roots and continues to be a pioneer in the independent film scene.
Rating: ★★★★☆
By Matthew Trick
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