Jim Jarmusch's movies are just so goddamn funny.
Mystery Train, his love letter to Memphis, is a blast and a half, utilizing his trademark dryer-than-dry humor and just a little bit of the absurd. Telling three or four seemingly unrelated stories that all intersect at a late-night hotel just outside of town, Jarmusch throws some fish out of water (in the form of two rock and roll-obsessed Japanese tourists, an Italian woman, and, uh, Joe Strummer) in one of America's most musically rich cities.
The results are enjoyable, if a little uneven. Starting strong with the teenage tourists, the film finds a great comedic rhythm early on. Unfortunately, by the time the three stories collide, some of the momentum is lost. Admittedly, Strummer wasn't much of an actor, and even the great Steve Buscemi can't do much to salvage their part, by far the blandest of the three.
But this doesn't keep Mystery Train from being a film worth seeking out. The 35mm print that screened at Wexner was in great shape, and I can only imagine Criterion's brand new Blu-Ray presentation of the film is top-notch. An entertaining flick full of humor and great music from one of America's true independents. [B] 113min, 35mm
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