Writer-director Jim Jarmusch has not only delivered his best film in years; with Only Lovers Left Alive, he’s delivered the best vampire movie in decades.
Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston are astonishingly good as Eve and Adam, married vampires temporarily living apart in Tangier and Detroit. They live off purchased blood rather than killing people, and years pass for them like days pass for us mortals. After a long stretch apart, Eve comes to Detroit for a visit, and needs to search for room to sleep among Adam’s antiquated stereo equipment and guitars. He dabbles in music writing when not contemplating suicide.
Eve’s sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska) unexpectedly shows up—and she brings trouble. Adam and Eve must hit the road, but their blood supply is dwindling—so they need to make big decisions about their next feed.
Jarmusch has a lot of fun with the format, even casting John Hurt as writer and supposed vampire Christopher Marlowe, who claims in this film to have written Hamlet. Adam and Eve have a sort of bemused nonchalance while coasting through eternity, although their behavior is decidedly human.
The film is also very funny and shot beautifully. It’s perhaps Jarmusch’s best since Dead Man.
Special Features: There’s a documentary about Jarmusch, deleted and extended scenes and a music video.