This is a story how sid & nancy wanted to be vampires
or is it the other way round, every male vampire wants to be a rock star - and every female one longs to be an eternal groupie? At least Jim Jarmusch knew what he wanted: money for a film with two contemporary cool film stars, Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston. The magic word for film industry is still "vampire", so Jarmuch wrote a story where there are two lovers who "just happen to be vampires" (as Jarmusch has told in interviews).
Except that there's isn't really any story, any plot, any romance - and definitely no vampires. The characters of Swinton & Hiddleston are based on rock mythology rather than on vampire mythos. They do drink blood, but it's only a cheap metaphor and easy excuse to show drug-addiction with romantic allusions to the history of artistic use of opium. Only cool thing with this film is the title: ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE.
Most of the time S & H just recline lazily in different positions and occasionally talk about the beauty of instruments. They are multilingual, multitalented artists themselves, but there is nothing in their discourse to prove how wise or gifted they are. The references to the mutual history of vampire life are so stupid that the script sounds like it's written by a 12-year-old who thinks he (= JJ) has invented the concept of vamp film.
The stills of this movie may give an impression of a serious vampire movie. Camera-work is beautiful indeed, and T & S try to be seriously anaemic in their characters. But when the little sister vamp (Mia Wasikowska) jumps into story and acts like little sisters do, you finally realise how playfully boring this film about eternal boredom really is.
Yes, such a waste of time and talents.
Except that there's isn't really any story, any plot, any romance - and definitely no vampires. The characters of Swinton & Hiddleston are based on rock mythology rather than on vampire mythos. They do drink blood, but it's only a cheap metaphor and easy excuse to show drug-addiction with romantic allusions to the history of artistic use of opium. Only cool thing with this film is the title: ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE.
Most of the time S & H just recline lazily in different positions and occasionally talk about the beauty of instruments. They are multilingual, multitalented artists themselves, but there is nothing in their discourse to prove how wise or gifted they are. The references to the mutual history of vampire life are so stupid that the script sounds like it's written by a 12-year-old who thinks he (= JJ) has invented the concept of vamp film.
The stills of this movie may give an impression of a serious vampire movie. Camera-work is beautiful indeed, and T & S try to be seriously anaemic in their characters. But when the little sister vamp (Mia Wasikowska) jumps into story and acts like little sisters do, you finally realise how playfully boring this film about eternal boredom really is.
Yes, such a waste of time and talents.