Paterson

Movie, 2016, R

Premise - A week in the life of a bus driver named Paterson in Paterson, New Jersey. Each day of the week follows his routine of people-watching, writing secret poetry, walking his dog, heading to the bar, and spending time with his bizarre yet endearing girlfriend.


Review - I had heard of Paterson, New Jersey in the past for being the home of famous poet Allen Ginsberg. In this film, I found out it is also the home of William Carlos Williams. How did this one town spark two great poets, not too far apart from each other in time or location? My theory is that, as such a desolate town, the misery of it all festers within good artists. I'm not sure if the film was actually shot in Paterson, but the streets were not glamorous, by any means. Paterson has nothing to do but listen to the conversation of others, observe, and write. It's how he keeps himself occupied and, quite frankly, sane.

Paterson's poetic style takes after William Carlos Williams, who I remember not being able to stand the few times I studied him. Williams' style is incredibly... empirical. Observational. He writes what he directly observes, in free verse with no structure. From what I remember (though I'm no poetry expert), he believed one can only write what one knows and experiences. He just recreates those observations through words. Though I'm sure it takes talent, I find that incredibly unimaginative. However, it works very well for the film, structurally speaking. We see what Paterson sees, so we better understand what he writes.

The film provides fantastic insight into a variety of different characters. By far the most intriguing is Paterson's girlfriend Laura. One of the most naive dreamers I have ever seen in a film, she aspires to be an interior designer, a baker, and a famous country singer all at once. She cannot do any of the above. We see her dedication, as she bakes hundreds of cupcakes, learns to play the guitar ("I've been working on the railroad" is all she can do), and designs everything in her house. Her designs are not bad, and she takes on a very specific style of repetitive black and white patterns. The problem is that they require absolutely no talent to make - only a claim on the style. Her patterns might be white shower curtains with black swirls on them, or black pillows with white squares. Anyone can do it, and she does not seem to realize how ordinary her abilities are. What Laura lacks is self-awareness, perhaps even awareness of others. She is the complete opposite of Paterson, who is so self-aware and aware of the world around him that he writes these incredibly insightful poems that he realistically knows no one will ever read. Paterson is a complete realist, in the way he lives his life and the way he writes his poetry.

The repetitive day by day routine and the poems that come from his experiences make the film somewhat formulaic. In this particular case, however, this works in the film's favor. I think the film provides a very solid structure that ironically his poems do not possess. It's as if the film has rhyme and meter and Paterson's poems do not. I think I actually prefer the rhyme and meter. (81/100).

Quote -

Water falls.

Water falls from bright air.

It falls like hair, falling across a young girl’s shoulders.

Water falls making pools in the asphalt, dirty mirrors with clouds and buildings inside.

It falls on the roof of my house.

It falls on my mother and on my hair.

Most people call it rain.

What to watch for - I suppose if you like poetry, watch for the poems scattered throughout the film? I watched for the dog, Marvin.

If you liked this movie, I'd recommend Spring and All!

Directed by Jim Jarmusch
Distributed by Amazon Studios