ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE
Starring Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston
Directed by Jim Jarmusch
Not since David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve in 1983’s The Hunger has there been an undead couple as supernaturally seductive as Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston. In Jim Jarmusch’s darkly comic yet surprisingly sincere take on the vampire genre, the ethereal pair complement each other uncannily as soul mates who’ve abandoned swagger in favour of simply being comfortable in their own pale skins.
As the film opens, Hiddleston’s Adam is a Detroit-based shut-in who collects vintage (by our standards) guitars and records ominous, droning music. Why exactly? “I needed a reflection.” The notion that a creature of the night might need to express himself creatively is but one of the inspired twists that Jarmusch puts on familiar tropes. Given that Adam once ran with Byron (who, along with Shelley, formed the original Glimmer Twins), rock ‘n’ roll seems a natural outlet for his existential angst.
Meanwhile, his vampire lover Eve (Swinton) is “more of a Stax girl” who can appreciates old 45s but is inclined to seek out new fascinations. In turn, she’s more permissive, opening their door to her wayward sister (Mia Wasikowska) who’s a bloodbath waiting to happen. And while Wasikowska infuses the story with some comic chaos, it’s Hiddleston and Swinton who lend it such a compelling rhythm by punctuating it with cutting remarks and astute asides.
As they tour Detroit, we’re reminded that, while empires tend to fall, great art often endures. Vibrant and affirming despite its dour trappings, Only Lovers Left Alive certifies that, while not as prolific as he once was, Jarmusch remains one for the ages.
