Attack of the B's!

The Limits of Control (2009) Jim Jarmusch
By: Joe Y.

I went into this film with high hopes, which in all honesty might of been the reason why I felt the way I did after the film's conclusion. Jim Jarmusch's new film Limits of Control is a story about a loner embarking on a journey across Spain, to complete an act unbeknownst to the viewers until the film's conclusion. The film's star Isaach De Bankolé (Night on Earth, Ghost Dog, Coffee and Cigarettes) delivered a remarkable performance on screen, despite the fact that his character only has a handful of lines. The majority of the dialogue is delivered by the film's supporting cast including Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros, Y Tu Mambien, Babel), John Hurt, Tilda Swinton and Bill Murray among many others. Each character the Loner meets on his journey engages him with existentialist conversations regarding music, film, science, etc. While I think that the film is beautifully shot, and for the most part beautifully acted, I couldn't help but feel unsatisfied by the film. It seems like only a small segment of what could be a miraculous story. Maybe I missed the main point of the story on my first watching but I can tell you that I am not rushing to see it again. Possibly the most depressing aspect of the film was Bill Murray's role. Only appearing on the screen for less than five minutes, Murray manages to deliver, imho, one of his worst roles ever. Visually I believe this film is remarkable and I have no complaints, but content wise I feel the film is not a right fit for me. As a huge Jarmusch fan I have to say overall I am disappointed.

Grade: C