I'm not a big fan of most vampire flicks since the subject has not only been done to death (no pun intended) but also because the idea of a human vampire is strictly a fictional construct and hence not a character that one can take very seriously at all. Director Jim Jarmusch has decided to debunk the genre by updating and treating it somewhat as a black comedy. His protagonist is "Adam," a depressed vampire hipster, who enjoys listening to his own dirge-like rock compositions and is proud of his collection of vintage guitars, supplied by his human gofer, Ian, who is part of the local rock scene. Adam asks Ian to obtain a wooden bullet, which he may or may not use to eventually kill himself.
Soon enough, his wife Eve (they've been married for centuries), has just left 400 year old playwright Christopher Marlowe (also a vampire) in Tangier and comes to Detroit hoping that she can cheer Adam up. Over half the film features little conflict between Adam and Eve and aside from engaging in some rather dull conversation, they occasionally leave Adam's home and drive around in a mostly deserted and abandoned Detroit.
Finally something happens past the midpoint; Eve's sister, Ava, pays a visit to the couple from Los Angeles. She ends up killing Ian by biting his neck and drinking his blood. Adam and Eve are appalled by her behavior (since modern vampires don't do that sort of thing) and kick her out of the house. They then dispose of Ian's body and head to Tangier after a bunch of Adam's fans appear outside the house.
When they discover that Marlowe is dying from contaminated blood, they realize they have no choice but to whip their fangs out and kill an unsuspecting couple they meet on the streets. That's basically it— virtually no plot, with a narrative that proceeds at a snail's pace. Score some points for atmosphere, but Jarmusch's tale is as bankrupt as Adam's blood supply. In short, proceed at your own peril!
Soon enough, his wife Eve (they've been married for centuries), has just left 400 year old playwright Christopher Marlowe (also a vampire) in Tangier and comes to Detroit hoping that she can cheer Adam up. Over half the film features little conflict between Adam and Eve and aside from engaging in some rather dull conversation, they occasionally leave Adam's home and drive around in a mostly deserted and abandoned Detroit.
Finally something happens past the midpoint; Eve's sister, Ava, pays a visit to the couple from Los Angeles. She ends up killing Ian by biting his neck and drinking his blood. Adam and Eve are appalled by her behavior (since modern vampires don't do that sort of thing) and kick her out of the house. They then dispose of Ian's body and head to Tangier after a bunch of Adam's fans appear outside the house.
When they discover that Marlowe is dying from contaminated blood, they realize they have no choice but to whip their fangs out and kill an unsuspecting couple they meet on the streets. That's basically it— virtually no plot, with a narrative that proceeds at a snail's pace. Score some points for atmosphere, but Jarmusch's tale is as bankrupt as Adam's blood supply. In short, proceed at your own peril!