Paterson * * * *

A wild scene in Paterson

This would have to be one of the most uneventful films I have seen for a long time.  I mean, almost nothing happens.   It’s a week in the lives of a bus driver and his eccentric girlfriend.

    They live together in a modest house. They don't seem to have any friends, though he knows quite a few people at the local bar which he drops into each night for a beer when he is walking his girlfriend's dog.

    She doesn't seem to work .She does printing of fabrics (all in black and white) and aspires to be a country and western singer; she hasn’t got a guitar yet but she wants to buy one over the internet even though they haven’t got much money, but he doesn’t seem to mind.  He doesn’t seem to mind much about anything.

    He works as a bus driver in  Paterson New Jersey and his name is Paterson too.  He writes poetry of an evening. Even though he takes it seriously and has discipline and knowledge of poetry he seems to have no ambition, which is just as well I suppose.  Let’s face it: no matter how good a poet you are, these days  you’d probably make more as a bus driver.

    But for all it’s uneventfulness, it is a pleasure to watch in its own voyeuristic way.  The seven days pass with him driving his bus and walking the dog each night and writing his poetry. Whilst she is  printing fabrics and cooking weird meals, making cupcakes and planning her C+W career.

    Then on the sixth something really sad happens and even though it should impact him it seems to have a greater effect on his girlfriend.  She is so sorry for what has happened to Paterson. And so are we to be honest.

    Then on the seventh day he meets a mysterious stranger who gives hope and encouragement.

    I don’t know how this will work out for Jim Jarmusch, like his main character he might not care that much. Creating the thing is the thing.  But there were ten people in the cinema when I saw it and three of those walked out.

    Personally I’d recommend it and I would call it a beautiful film.  But if you can’t handle it and walk out I perfectly understand that too.