Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, an anthology of 5 different cab drivers in 5 American and European cities and their remarkable fares on the same eventful night. Starring: Gena Rowlands, Winona Ryder, Lisanne Falk, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosie Perez, Isaach De Bankolé, Béatrice Dalle, Roberto Benigni, Paolo Bonacelli, Matti Pellonpää, Kari Väänänen, Sakari Kuosmanen and Tomi Salmela.
As with any anthology, whether it’s by the same director or multiple, it’s tricky to get a consistent quality across each one with such different stories and settings, and Night on Earth is no different. It’s hit and miss, but when it hits, it really hits. Getting the less interesting stories out of the way first, when it strays into strange and monologuing territory with Roberto Benigni, it feels at its weakest.
The same goes for Isaach De Bankolé and Béatrice Dalle, it’s slightly sexually charged and Dalle’s representation of blindness makes some odd choices which feel entirely distracting. While they may certainly have plenty of personality, those two instalments have nowhere near as much to offer as their three counterparts.
Starting off with the first and strongest, featuring a powerhouse combination of Gena Rowlands and Winona Ryder. It would have been a pleasure to follow these two for an entire feature, even if they just spent ninety minutes chatting in the cab. They’re genuinely magic together and that will come as a surprise to no-one. It’s also a great story, it has the right amount of awkwardness and a superb sense of humour.
Jim Jarmusch then makes a seamless transition into the second story, one that’s a great piece of comedy. It’s filled with big, loud energy and is practically infectious with how lively it is. Armin Mueller-Stahl, Giancarlo Esposito and Rosie Perez make a fantastic trio, they’re very off-the-cuff, everything’s a quick reaction, full of wit and sarcasm. It’s extremely New York and embodies that typical atmosphere and personality. Again, these three create characters who you could happily keep watching.
Then there’s the final short, one which Aki Kaurismäki fans will absolutely delight in, as it’s almost a homage to him. It’s bleak yet funny, endearingly human and has a mix of darkness and light. It also stars a staple of Kaurismäki films, Matti Pellonpää, who brings his usual charm lifting up the mundanity, a shining light of disarming sincerity among a grim landscape. They all have a similar directorial style, simple and intimate, focusing on the characters and the connections. It’s straight out of Jarmusch quintessential playbook.
Night on Earth features a brief adventure with Gena Rowlands and Winona Ryder that leaves you begging for more. An endearing and surprisingly touching sojourn with Matti Pellonpää and a hilarious cab ride with Armin Mueller-Stahl, Giancarlo Esposito and Rosie Perez. While its other two stories may fall by the wayside, not quite hitting the same strong note, they don’t make it any less worth watching. It captures Jim Jarmusch’s iconically offbeat, scaled back yet enthralling style to a tee. It may not be his best but it’s one any fans of Jarmusch need to watch.
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