Movie Stats:
Released 1995 (France)
American, German & Japanese, in English (significant non-translated Cree)
Director - Jim Jarmusch
Stars - Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer
Plot Summary:
During the 19th century, naive young Cleveland accountant William Blake (Depp) accepts a job in the Wild West town of Machine, only to quickly find himself in trouble. A Native American man by the name of Nobody (Farmer) comes to his aid.
Warnings:
Heavy blue language; extreme violence; extreme gore; sexy times; brief male & female nudity (buttocks only); consensual drug use (peyote).
Bad Stuff:
I really hated the soundtrack (by Neil Young). I found it oppressive and distracting.
There’s more than a whiff of that popular 90s motif: the Native American as noble savage.
The pacing is ponderous.
Good Stuff:
It has a surprising amount of funny moments.
Loved Gary Farmer.
For a movie with so much bloodshed and death, I find it quite beautiful. I think what touches me about this story is Nobody’s compassion. [SPOILER] He finds a stranger on death’s doorstep, nurses him back as close to health as he can get, and ushers him to his inevitable end with humor, grace, and dignity. There’s something unspeakably beautiful in that. [SPOILER]
About the Performance:
I used to love Johnny Depp. But then he played Captain Jack Sparrow (a role I enjoy him in) and forever after that only seemed interested in playing “weirdo” characters. It got old fast. Originally, I was supposed to review “Ed Wood” for this but feared that the characterization would be too close to the weirdo phase of his career for me, so I chose something else. I went with this film because I saw it some 20 years ago & loved it. I remembered it as a good vehicle for him. Upon re-watch, I’m no longer certain that it’s a great showcase of his talents. He spends a lot of the film unconscious. Despite that, I think he does a lovely, understated job of portraying Blake’s growth, including his slow acceptance of his role in life and his fate.
Other performances of Depp’s I’ve reviewed: The Tourist; Platoon.
The Verdict:
This is a 90s indie film through and through. I still liked it upon a third watch (I watched it twice when I rented the VHS all those years ago) but I saw the flaws in it this time that I didn’t see before. I especially wish I could’ve muted the soundtrack. On the other hand, it has a wealth of great cameos, some of which were an utter scream (I especially loved Michael Wincott as bounty hunter Conway Twill & Iggy Pop, Jared Harris, and Billy Bob Thornton as a trio of backwoods weirdos). It’s moving, lyrical, and beautiful. A truly unique film in many ways.
I give it 4 stars.
2 comments:
You were the one who recommended this movie to me and I watched it (also on VHS) during the early 2000s summer of unemployment. I did not love it, finding the pacing, as you describe, as "ponderous."
Sometimes I love Jim Jarmusch (recently: Paterson and Only Lovers Left Alive, both of which are not speedy movies and both of which I adored) and sometimes not so much.
I've just looked back over Mr. Depp's filmography and I've liked him in The Tourist (which I know is not a movie many people are fans of) Ed Wood, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Benny and Joon, and (of course) Pirates of the Caribbean (of which I've only seen the first one. I think.)
That's a pretty short list considering how many of his movies I've watched. I was thinking the other day I should check out Cry-Baby as I've never seen it. He was so very young then.
I lump him into the same category as Keanu Reeves (dark hair, became famous in the latter part of the 80s) but the two have gone in two very different directions with their acting. And also life choices. I still enjoy a Keanu Reeves movie and I can't say the same for Mr. Depp. Maybe he will turn himself around, but I don't have much hope.
I really wish I'd done Gilbert Grape for this. I think that, as an actor, it was probably his best film. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20. I don't expect to ever enjoy Johnny Depp again. In fact, I actively avoid movies he's in. I've never thought Keanu Reeves was a particularly good actor, but he's such an all-around great person that I tend to enjoy him in film.
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