In a time oversaturated with vampire movies, it takes a lot to stand out. No longer is it enough to just humanize the creatures of the night, and vampiric love stories are just so passe. So perhaps it’s strange that “Only Lovers Left Alive” is a breath of fresh air to the vampire canon, when its only real focus is in civilizing its supernatural sweethearts.
Adam (Tom Hiddleston, The Avengers, Thor series, Midnight in Paris) and Eve (Tilda Swinton, Moonrise Kingdom, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe) are modern day bloodsuckers, against the backdrop of a romantically desolate Detroit and Tangier, respectively. Eve travels to visit Adam, a deeply depressed underground musician. Their centuries-old love story is soon interrupted when Eve’s infamous younger sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska, Stoker, Alice in Wonderland) also stops for a visit.
Its plot is sparse, sauntering in no particular direction and in no hurry, as writer and director Jim Jarmusch is wont to do as he has demonstrated in his past indie darlings like “Ghost Dog.” Its protagonists idle about, lacking a general mission in life aside from worrying about the human race, or “zombies” as they’re called. Where typical vampires spend time establishing cliche rules about what they are able to do, Adam and Eve meander through the plot, basking in an air of pretension that can only come from experiencing thousands of years of artistic opinion.
But what it lacks in motivation it more than makes up for in aesthetics and mood. Adam and Eve lead their lives amid vintage knick-knacks and gorgeous old rock ‘n’ roll equipment with a subdued elegance. It’s hung up in the bleakness of the genre, but that doesn’t let it get in the way of characterization. Their ennui has stretched across multiple decades and they’ve got an amalgam of pop culture knowledge to show for it and shape their worldview.
Considering the film only has six real roles and no straightforward plot to speak of, if any of the characters were to falter or be at odds with the other players “Only Lovers Left Alive” would flounder. Luckily, Swinton and Hiddleston are perfect for the roles of the pallid nightwalkers, and their pale complexion is only the beginning of it. Both actors blossom into their roles, flawlessly bringing Eve and Adam, respectively, to life in their afterlife.
Even as their minimalist brooding sweeps across the screen, Hiddleston and Swinton’s wit and chemistry infects the screen. Their droll and languid cool is so natural that it’s no surprise that Ava and Ian (Anton Yelchin), Adam’s instrumental errand boy, eagerly hope to orbit their lives.
Their existence is as fascinating and enthralling as it is aimless, and the film takes advantage of its gorgeous scenery to speak volumes about the melancholy of its protagonists. The moody atmosphere of “Only Lovers Left Alive” lingers in the air long after the final shot, which is a perfect cherry on top of a blood sundae.
The verdict: As languorous as it is captivating, Jim Jarmusch brings life to the stale vampire genre with this well-acted and moody drama.
Pulp Diction 