Not original, but offbeat fun

Rating: Null/10 (23 May 2004)

Jim Jarmusch movies, as a rule, need to be viewed late in the evening. The man's sense of humor and timing is not like your usual comedy: it fits that the first of these was made for Saturday Night Live, because these sketches need a late-night crowd.

None of these sketches are amazing, though almost all of them have a certain kind of funky humor that it's enjoyable IF YOU LET THEM BE. There is a giggle to be found in watching the gorgeous Renee French leaf through a guide to knives and semi-automatics over her coffee and cigarettes, the White Stripes' demonstration of a Tesla coil in a coffee shop, RZA's and GZA's health warnings to Bill Murray, Vinnie Vella's "silent type" kid, and Isaach de Bankole's uncomfortable reunion with his moody friend Alex. All of these and the better ones, Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan and Cate Blanchett, have some dose of humor, or at least appreciation of the art of people watching.

The line that may define the Jarmusch style is his first line to Steve Buscemi in "In The Soup." As an independent television director, Jarmusch interviews Steve for a part, and the first thing he says is "You're reading my dog's mind, aren't you?" Now, in most circumstances, this would not be funny, but if you're in JUST the right mood, something good starts bubbling up inside of you. That's a lot like what this movie does, over the course of 12 short sketches, percolate a sense of the bizarre. Just go and see the damn thing, and you'll have your own thoughts.