Jarmusch: Rodina a mezigenerační vztahy – recenze filmu

Filmmaker Jim Jarmusch returns to the anthology format after more than two decades, a style not currently in vogue but one he frequently employed in his earlier work. His latest film draws connections to his previous features Mystery Train (1989), Night on Earth (1991), and Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), though it is described as more personal and intimate.

A Family Portrait in Three Parts

Despite its title, Father Mother Sister Brother isn’t a four-part anthology. It’s a triptych, structured similarly to Night on Earth, which was set in five global cities, but unfolding across three locations: New Jersey, Dublin, and Paris.

Unanswered Questions

The first episode, “Father,” follows two siblings, played by Adam Driver and Mayim Bialik, as they visit their eccentric, widowed father, portrayed by musician Tom Waits, in a remote, snowy area of the American Northeast. His dilapidated home and past requests for financial assistance suggest poverty, but his children suspect he may be feigning hardship.

“Mother” centers on a writer of romantic bestsellers, embodied with detached elegance by Charlotte Rampling, and a visit from her two daughters, played by Vicky Krieps and Cate Blanchett. The sisters, markedly different personalities, visit their mother only once a year, a frequency that doesn’t seem to bother her, as she doesn’t want to be “disturbed.”

The final segment, “Sister Brother,” mirrors the previous two. Hipster twins, played by Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat, visit the empty Paris apartment of their unconventional parents, who died in a plane crash over the Azores. They examine old photographs and questionable documents, raising questions about their parents’ past, questions that remain unanswered for both the characters and the audience.

Did You Know? Jim Jarmusch’s film features repeated motifs, including (possibly counterfeit) Rolex watches, old photographs, and the British idiom “Bob’s your uncle,” equivalent to the phrase “and there you have it.”

An Unconventional Look at Everyday Life

Jarmusch describes his latest work as an “anti-action film.” The episodes appear uneventful on the surface, but attentive viewers may sense an undercurrent of the unspoken, and perhaps even the unsettling. Tension arises not from dramatic events, but from subtle details and implications, requiring the audience to actively engage their imagination.

Like his 2016 film Paterson, Father Mother Sister Brother is slow-paced, quiet, and melancholic, finding humour in the mundane. The film focuses on characters connected by blood, yet often distant in personality and communication, sometimes to the point where the truthfulness of their interactions is questionable.

The initial encounters between family members are characterized by restrained affection, unfulfilled expectations, and awkwardness. One character succinctly observes, “You can choose your friends and loves, but not your relatives.”

Expert Insight: Jarmusch’s deliberate pacing and focus on subtle interactions suggest a desire to explore the complexities of family dynamics without resorting to melodrama. The unanswered questions and ambiguous motivations invite viewers to project their own experiences and interpretations onto the narrative.

Jarmusch explores not only parent-child relationships but also sibling bonds. A latent competitiveness flickers between a divorced brother and his married sister in the first episode, while the sisters in the second exhibit a degree of conspiratorial understanding. Only the twins in Paris demonstrate genuine warmth and connection, referring to their bond as “twinning.”

Echoes and Repetitions

Each episode subtly echoes the others. The presence of Rolex watches, old photographs, and repeated phrases, including “Bob’s your uncle,” create a sense of interconnectedness. The cinematography, by Frederick Elmes and Yorick Le Saux, employs slow-motion shots of skateboarders, views through car windshields, and overhead perspectives reminiscent of Coffee and Cigarettes. However, these overhead shots also showcase meticulously arranged still lifes, particularly in the Dublin segment, featuring porcelain tea sets, pastries, and flowers.

The film features a notably balanced and well-acted ensemble cast, including returning collaborators Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett, and Luka Sabbat, alongside newcomers who deliver nuanced performances through subtle expressions and body language.

Music, composed by Jarmusch and British singer Anika, is integral to the film. A cover of Dusty Springfield’s 1960s soul song “Spooky” is particularly prominent.

In this minimalist film, the seventy-three-year-old director contemplates the question of who our parents truly were, touching on themes of time’s passage and generational misunderstandings. The film doesn’t offer easy answers, but suggests that bridging the gaps between generations is a worthwhile endeavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the structure of the film?

The film is a triptych, consisting of three separate episodes: “Father,” “Mother,” and “Sister Brother.”

Where are the episodes set?

The episodes are set in New Jersey, Dublin, and Paris.

What kind of film does Jim Jarmusch call this?

Jim Jarmusch refers to his film as an “anti-action film.”

What unspoken truths about family relationships might resonate with you after watching Father Mother Sister Brother?