Cannes Film review: 'Ghost Dog: Samurai'
A killer for hire whose big clients are cartoon-watching Mafiosi who can't pay the rent on time, the deadly serious lead character in Jim Jarmusch's moderately successful competition entry is an enigma who doesn't have a line of dialogue until 45 minutes into the film. What is provided in the way of illuminating the character's mindset are excerpts from a book about Samurai warriors who possess an uncompromising sense of loyalty, and daily are so prepared to die they already consider themselves "dead."
Much funnier and less consequential than the Indie filmmaker's loved and loathed western "Dead Man", "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" has commercial promise. It is a satisfactorily provoking and offbeat take on the otherwise tired hitman genre until the violence starts escalating in the final act. Overall, the most glaring deficiency is the lack of a significant payoff in the peculiar destiny of the title character, played splendidly by Forest Whitaker.
Jarmusch is a strong director and adeptly steers clear of a conventional narrative in "Ghost Dog", but the results are somewhat mixed when it comes to the cast of characters, particularly the aforementioned gangsters led by Henry Silva. John Tormey stands out as Louie, the "master" who once saved the life of rooftop-dwelling Ghost Dog and communicates with him via messenger pigeons. Apart from Cliff Gorman's spirited turn, the rest of the thugs are shallow caricatures whose denseness grows tiresome.
The simple story finds Ghost Dog on the outs with his employers when they hire him to whack a "made man" and then seek in-house retribution. But the shadowy, nearly friendless assassin is not one to be caught unprepared. Although his vows forbid him to question or harm his master, when he knows he's a target, the efficient killer goes after the other mobsters. Unfortunately, Jarmusch includes a few too many jokey killings that sour the conclusion.
French-speaking Isaach De Bankole ("Night on Earth") is a welcome addition as an Ice Cream vendor who oddly communicates perfectly with the English-only Ghost Dog. Camille Winbush is also memorable as a little girl that the lead discusses books with and who seems destined also to adopt the "ancient ways" in a changing world.
GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI
JVC, BAC Films, Le Sudio Canal Plus present
In association with Pandora Film and ARD/Degeto Film
A Plywood production
Writer-director:Jim Jarmusch
Producer:Richard Guay, Jim Jarmusch
Director of photography:Robby Muller
Production designer:Ted Berner
Editor:Jay Rabinowitz
Music:RZA
Costume designer:John Dunn
Color/stereo
Cast:
Ghost Dog:Forest Whitaker
Louie:John Tormey
Ray Vargo:Henry Silva
Raymond:Isaach De Bankole
Pearline:Camille Winbush
Running time -- 116 minutes...
Much funnier and less consequential than the Indie filmmaker's loved and loathed western "Dead Man", "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" has commercial promise. It is a satisfactorily provoking and offbeat take on the otherwise tired hitman genre until the violence starts escalating in the final act. Overall, the most glaring deficiency is the lack of a significant payoff in the peculiar destiny of the title character, played splendidly by Forest Whitaker.
Jarmusch is a strong director and adeptly steers clear of a conventional narrative in "Ghost Dog", but the results are somewhat mixed when it comes to the cast of characters, particularly the aforementioned gangsters led by Henry Silva. John Tormey stands out as Louie, the "master" who once saved the life of rooftop-dwelling Ghost Dog and communicates with him via messenger pigeons. Apart from Cliff Gorman's spirited turn, the rest of the thugs are shallow caricatures whose denseness grows tiresome.
The simple story finds Ghost Dog on the outs with his employers when they hire him to whack a "made man" and then seek in-house retribution. But the shadowy, nearly friendless assassin is not one to be caught unprepared. Although his vows forbid him to question or harm his master, when he knows he's a target, the efficient killer goes after the other mobsters. Unfortunately, Jarmusch includes a few too many jokey killings that sour the conclusion.
French-speaking Isaach De Bankole ("Night on Earth") is a welcome addition as an Ice Cream vendor who oddly communicates perfectly with the English-only Ghost Dog. Camille Winbush is also memorable as a little girl that the lead discusses books with and who seems destined also to adopt the "ancient ways" in a changing world.
GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI
JVC, BAC Films, Le Sudio Canal Plus present
In association with Pandora Film and ARD/Degeto Film
A Plywood production
Writer-director:Jim Jarmusch
Producer:Richard Guay, Jim Jarmusch
Director of photography:Robby Muller
Production designer:Ted Berner
Editor:Jay Rabinowitz
Music:RZA
Costume designer:John Dunn
Color/stereo
Cast:
Ghost Dog:Forest Whitaker
Louie:John Tormey
Ray Vargo:Henry Silva
Raymond:Isaach De Bankole
Pearline:Camille Winbush
Running time -- 116 minutes...
- 5/20/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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