Broken Flowers DVD Review:

Bill Murray seems to be the golden boy for artistic independent directors when they want to make extremely subtle comedies. He made somewhat of a return when he did Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums for Wes Anderson, then he created endless buzz in Sophia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, and now it is Jim Jarmusch’s turn to make use of the style which has become the latest craze in underground hits. The script is extremely clever, and it is obvious that Jarmusch has a very clear vision for the film, as well as a fantastic script, but Bill Murray manages to bring humanity to a somewhat distant and silent character, which is the true achievement of Broken Flowers.

Murray plays Don Johnston, a clever name for an aging Don Juan. Don has had a busy life with many women, but when we join him he is living a lonely life with only his neighbors as friends. He is left by another girlfriend when he receives a mysterious letter in the mail informing him that he has a nineteen year old son that he never knew about. The letter is not signed, but it arrives in pink stationary, so upon the urging of his neighbor, Don sets out across country to find the sender. Don visits many ex-girlfriends in hopes of discovering who he created a child with, each time forced to face the past and what it means.

Broken Flowers is a slow moving film, and one that doesn’t seem to say much. It quietly moves along, building slightly so that it seems as though the ending should have some sort of revelation. If it were a studio film and more mainstream, I’m sure that there would be a revelation, but this film is not and does not. There is somewhat of a revelation, just as there is conflict, but they are not out in the open. The emotions are all held in and not spoken out in so many words. We watch the events and know that there are certain thoughts going through Don’s head, but he never says them. Instead he says other things, and it requires that the audiences read between the lines in order to understand the journey completely.

As much as this film may have been recommended when it was in theaters, I was not one of the people raving. It wasn’t that I disliked Broken Flowers, but I understood that it was a film that everyone can jump right into and appreciate. When I walked out of the theater the first time I saw it, my first thought was that I wanted to watch it again before I could decide what I thought. It’s hard to recommend a film to people when they will have to go to the theater twice to appreciate, which is why the release of it on DVD is great. Viewers can watch the film as many times as they want, and I guarantee that this is the kind of film which takes time to absorb and appreciate.

The DVD cover is the same as one of the posters used for the film. It has Bill Murray standing outside of a house with a bouquet of pink roses, which is the perfect image for the film. The menus are extremely simple with just still photographs and sometimes music, but there are a few bonus features. There is an extended scene, or different takes, of the teenage girls talking on the bus. There is Broken Flowers: Start to Finish, which is filled with some great outtakes that are cut together with slates from every scene in the movie to the soundtrack. It’s great because it shows the other, more obvious side of Bill Murray’s sense of humor. There is also a behind the scenes look at the filming, with some extra insight by Jarmusch and other members of the cast and crew.



Ryan Izay

Confirmed bachelor Don Johnston (Murray) has just been left by his latest conquest but the day after she leaves he receives a mysterious pink letter saying that he has a son he never knew he had. The only problem is that there is no signature. Don thinks it is a prank but his best friend and neighbour Winston (Wright) comes up with plan. Don should visit all of his old girlfriends old enough to have a teenage son.

The combination of writer/director Jim Jarmusch and star Bill Murray seems like a dream team but can ‘Broken Flowers’ live up to these heady expectations?

Writer/director Jim Jarmusch has always produced movies that have been intriguing and very characters based. With films like ‘Night on Earth’, ‘Coffee and Cigarettes’, ‘Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai’ and ‘Dead Man’, Jarmusch proves to be a great writer of characters and dialogue as well as creating intriguing premises for his characters. ‘Broken Flowers’ is no different.

Imagine a letter turning up saying that you had a son or daughter that you knew nothing about but they letter was unsigned, you couldn’t help but be intrigued could you? A confirmed bachelor Don Johnston receives such a letter but he really doesn’t want to look into it. This all changes we his best friend and neighbour Winston hears of his dilemma. He sees this as a mystery that needs solving and hatches a plan for Don to find out who the mystery mother is and meet his son. With a full antennary, Winston has booked flights, hire cars and motels for him to travel the country and visit the women who could possibly be the mother. A brilliant premise you might agree and for the most part it is executed superbly but it has its problems.

For the most part the film is extremely good. Don’s journey is both extremely funny and in parts quite touching as he comes to terms with the possibility of been a father. Some of his rendezvous’ are better than others but each of them is extremely well written and beautifully acted. The big disappointment comes in the final act as Don tries to come to terms with the results of his journey with no real resolution.

Bill Murray continues to choose extremely interesting projects for him to really test his talents. While he might still do the odd Hollywood moneymaker, he still tends to make the films that he wants to make and ones that really suit his acting style. As Don Johnston, he is his usual laidback self and of course he is unintentionally funny. Bill Murray can show more comedic talent in just a look than most comic actors working in Hollywood today. His support is also first rate. Jeffrey Wright is suitably kooky as best friend and neighbour Winston, who lives his life through Don. Then there are the women. Sharon Stone, Tilda Swinton, Julie Delphi, Frances Conroy and Jessica are superb as Don’s exes, each of them suitably different and extremely quirky in their own way. You also have some excellent support from an eye catching Alexis Dziena and an extremely protective Chloë Sevigny.

‘Broken Flowers’ is a movie with a fantastic premise and great performances but the lack of a satisfying conclusion means that the film just isn’t as good as you might have been expecting. There is still a lot to enjoy here but you can’t help thinking that this could have been a classic.

Star Rating = * * *

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is good.

BONUS FEATURES

Girls on the Bus (1.42 mins)
The girls on the bus adlib as they talk about hair, makeup and boys while the director decides which to use in the movie.

Broken Flowers: Start to finish (7.40 mins)
Watch the adlibs, comments and gags that happened before the clapper fell. Highlights include many a gag from Bill Murray, as we see them from the start to the finish of the film.

Farmhouse (4.19 mins)
Writer/director Jim Jarmusch talk about the look and feel of the movie, his feelings about the film and the preparation Don’s women went through to prepare. This is accompanied by behind the scenes from the filming of the movie.

Original Theatrical Trailer (2.08 mins)
Watch the promotional trailer for the movie.

Trailers
Previews of ‘Brokeback Mountain’, ‘Brick’ and ‘The Constant Gardener’

OVERALL

The DVD extras for ‘Broken Flowers’ are far too short and not informative enough for fans of the film to get the most out of them. The lack of a commentary track is also amiss making this a very average bonus feature presentation.

Jamie Kelwick