The Limits of Control

Director : Jim Jarmusch
Starring : Issach de Bankole, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt
2009

I saw the trailer for this movie a long time ago but then never really heard anything about it after that. I forget what movie I was watching, but this trailer popped up again and sparked my interest again. I've heard of some of the movies Jarmusch had made before but never viewed any of them. Also i had no idea what the plot of The Limits of Control was at all either so you'll at least know more than me if you choose to watch it.

About the whole knowing of the plot thing, I still don't know what it is. This is one of those movies that you watch and say to yourself "I don't think I was smart enough for that". Nothing really happens in the movie though so my brain can't be too at fault. The whole idea of the film is you are following the main character (who doesn't have a name) around Spain while he is on his way of assassinating someone. You never find out why or maybe you do and I just didn't pick up on it. This movie is 100% about the journey and not the destination. Imdb calls the main guy "Lone Man" so I'll follow along. First off, Lone Man is one of the hardest looking dudes I've ever seen. I'm sure he knows at least 300 different ways to kill me. Basically you would probably stand a better chance against Vin Diesel than the Lone Man. He rarely talks but when he does, he drops some hard wisdom (check the quotes section). After getting told his assignment Lone Man flies to Madrid and has to wait around to meet a number of informants. They come about every few days or so to pass on instructions to the lone man but talk to him for 5 minutes too. Some of their character names are Blonde, Violin, Molecules, Guitar and Mexican. Again along with the whole journey not destination thing, it's about what these characters say, not who they are. There is no development what so other except for little emotions they might induce the Lone Man into, who is pretty much a statue most of the time.

One of the things I didn't understand was the character named Nude. Luckily Nude is a chick and not a dude. She is exactly what you would think she would be, butt naked in every scene. I wonder what that audition was like *wink*. At first she seemed like all the other informants, but unclothed. By the end of the movie I have no idea if she is real or not. She is definitely real in the beginning because they exchanged items but towards the end Lone Man imagines seeing her in a window and she disappears. Weird. Also at the end she just magically appears in the abandoned house sleeping under a sheet and Lone Man leaves her. Lone dude also imagines seeing her rain coat hung on a wall at one point but not her as well. Was it real? Probably, I might just be looking into things to much. Oh ya the rain coat, it was clear/see through. Still very much nude.

Rating : 3 stars. This movie is beautiful. There are so many montages like the Spanish country side or old buildings in Madrid and Sevilla that make you want to visit there. The music/score/just sounds in general all tie in superbly. There is some pretty sweet classical guitar in the mix too. Bankole does an awesome job as the Lone Man. Of course his role is to just stare blankly at stuff but he does it a lot better than I could. Plus he is tough looking. Side note : he only wears two different suits over a span of at least a week without bathing. Kind of gross. With that he also either never sleeps or does so with his eyes open. If it's the latter it only adds to his awesomeness. Bill Murray is in the movie for about 2 minutes and plays a prick so he doesn't add much. John Hurt has one of the coolest voices in the world and his short five minute role was filled with sweet dialogue. RECOMMENDATION: Don't watch this movie if you are only interested in the action movies or chick flicks with happy endings and stuff. There is nothing wrong with that at all but this movie will be EXTREMELY boring to you and I doubt you could finish. If things like scenery, tone, subtle emotions are your thing then probably watch this. I read around and a lot of people say this is one of Jarmusch's worst so I'll check out some others and get back to ya.

Quotes :
This is from Blonde "Are you interested in films, by any chance? I like really old films. You can really see what the world looked like, thirty, fifty, a hundred years ago. You know the clothes, the telephones, the trains, the way people smoked cigarettes, the little details of life. The best films are like dreams you're never sure you've really had. I have this image in my head of a room full of sand. And a bird flies towards me, and dips its wing into the sand. And I honestly have no idea whether this image came from a dream, or a film. Sometimes I like it in films when people just sit there, not saying anything. "

Guitar says "La vida non vale nada." That means the odd life is worth nothing I think but my spanish from 12th grade is rusty.

Molecules: Are you interested in science by any chance? I'm interested in molecules. The Sufis say each one of us is a planet spinning in ecstasy. But I say each one of us is a set of shifting molecules. Spinning in ecstasy. In the near future, worn out things will be made new again by reconfiguring their molecules. A pair of shoes. A tire. Molecular detection will also allow the determination of an object's physical history. This match box for example. Its collection of molecules could indicate everywhere it's ever been. They could do it with your clothes. Or even with your skin, for that matter. Wait three days until you see the bread. The guitar will find you. Among us, there are those who are not among us.
Lone Man: I'm among no one.

Bill Murray "How the fuck did you get in here?"
Lone Man : " I used my imagination" How b.a. was that answer? Lone Man is hard I tell you.

Mexican "Sometimes for me, the reflection is far more present than the thing being reflected."

Best Scene : I honestly really don't know. Not all that much to choose from. Probably either the scene with the Guitar (Hurt) or the Mexican. Both those dudes were cool. The Mexican's setting maybe puts it ahead.

Stills:





















Trailer