I was lucky enough to spot this gem and find out whereabouts it was being shown near me. I was even luckier that the Errol Flynn Filmhouse (which I have yet to blog about – whoops!) was showing it. This is a bit of a late review, as I saw the film in March time, but it’s definitely one to write about. Directed by Jim Jarmusch, whose work includes Dead Man and Broken Flowers, Only Lovers Left Alive is about the romance between two vampires, one being the ever-knowing Eve (played by the always fantastic Tilda Swinton) and the other Adam, her morose, music-loving counterpart (the brilliant Tom Hiddleston).
This isn’t a film where a particular huge amount happens. If you want a blockbuster, action-packed film, then you’ve definitely picked the wrong film to see. But this is where Only Lovers Left Alive excels, with it’s slow-burning plot and depth of character. You fall in love with the ethereal Eve, who seems to continue to love life, even though she’s been experiencing it for the last few hundred years. The moody Adam has a certain appeal for his passion of music and want to stay on the down-low. Even the old Kid (John Hurt) is entertaining, with his quick remarks and back story (he’s Christopher Marlowe, and yes, that wretched Shakespeare stole his life work), while Mia Wasikowska makes an appearance as Eve’s reckless, party-loving sister Ava and causes chaos. The locations are beautiful, from the backstreets of Tangier to the downtrodden Detroit, with their cluttered apartments filled with knowledge and experiences from life. The literary references are humorous – when Adam goes to get a supply of blood, himself and the doctor he purchases it from refer to each other using several different aliases, my personal favourite being Dr. Caligari – though it does often feel like it lingers on the edge of pretentiousness, and you have to acknowledge that sometimes the cultural references will just go straight over your head. However, it’s an excellent film, with the emphasis being on the relationship between the two main characters, and it’s done fantastically well. Jarmusch triumphs, and it’s well worth the amount of years he spent gathering the budget. Add it to your DVD shelves, folks. 5/5
Ramblings of Rachools 