Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
5/5 Fish Sticks
There is something that typically seems to happen in films whereupon a great adventure is experienced. We join a hero on an epic quest where he or she must display immense courage against an evil entity. Or, we join two best friends, unaware that they are really meant to be together as romantic partners, and we spend the next 90 or so minutes with them as they come to realize what we knew all along. Exceptional lives play out on film.
I don’t know about you all, but my life has, to this point, involved exactly zero epic quests. I’ve (thankfully) never fallen in love with someone who was my best friend. My life has probably had an exceptional moment or two, but my day-to-day is mostly about killing time.
“Stranger Than Paradise” (directed by Jim Jarmusch) expertly explores this notion in a way that is relatable, stylish, and totally hilarious. The film follows a traditional three act structure with a decidedly non-traditional approach. The story is framed by 67 single takes separated only by moments of black film. This is an expert move by Jarmusch and editor Melody London, as I found myself constantly asking “what are the stakes?” and “are there any stakes at all?” and “does my life have any stakes?” and “does it even matter at all just try to pay attention to all the weird little bits and enjoy the ride?”
We first meet Willie, a kind of hustler/hipster living in New York City. We learn that he is Hungarian but is doing his best to assimilate in his new home. He only wants to speak in English, watch American football, eat tv dinners etc. He is hilarious, but not exactly in on the joke. His cousin Eva (played with a totally aloof coolness by Eszter Balint) stops in New York City from Hungary to stay with Willie while her Aunt is recovering from a procedure in Eva’s future home of Cleveland. Eva and Willie are a bit icy towards each other at first, but then soften over time in the way that family members in a new country usually do. Along the way we meet Eddie, Willie’s friend, who is good-natured and probably the heart of this movie, but ultimately kind of dumb. He seems like the perfect kind of friend. Eva eventually moves to Cleveland and life continues for everyone.
A year goes by. Willie and Eddie decide to visit Eva in Cleveland. They go to the hot dog store where she works. They go to the movies. They play cards. They go to the lake and see that it is frozen. They decide to go someplace warm and the three take a road trip to Florida where some things go well and some things don’t.
I love that the three principal actors are all musicians (and Jarmusch clearly loves music as well) because they seem to understand the nuance of rhythm and flow that helps this movie really shine. There is a real humanity to this film and it’s treatment of these characters. They feel real. The sets feel real. This is an avant-garde movie to be sure, but in a way that should be accessible to almost anyone who has sat around with their friends with not much to do other than be alive.
There is a part in the movie when our trio is gazing out upon the icy wasteland of Cleveland, in all of its bland eminence, and Eddie remarks “You know it’s funny, you come to someplace new, and everything looks just the same.”
“Stranger Than Paradise” is a brilliant movie about looking at these same places, these same people, and these same situations with a new pair of eyes. When viewed through a certain lens, the unexceptional can be anything but.
Hilarious Quote For Good Measure
Willie regarding tv dinners: “You know, this is the way we eat in America. I got my meat, I got my potatoes, I got my vegetables, I got my dessert, and I don’t even have to wash the dishes.
