MovieChat Forums > Down by Law (1986) Discussion > any message?

any message?

posted 12 years ago by vitinha_abu
5 replies | jump to latest

Have you caught any kind of message in here?I think the movie is really good gave it an 8 but i felt that was kind of vague,in the end,no,twist no message no nothing

[–] PoppyTransfusion 12 years ago

There was a message about togetherness being better than the individual. At the beginning both Zack and Jack are accused by partner/whore of not understanding others or playing to other's concerns. When they are in the cell together they have little dialogue and scrap. They separate for a brief period in the swamp, once more with Zack and Jack scrapping before rejoining Bob who, by fluke, leads them to a solution.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

[–] VicBooth 12 years ago

I find that Jim Jarmusch films are less about messages and more structured around a simple idea.

Dead Man - accepting death
Ghost Dog - absolute dedication
Down By Law - starting over

He just paints poetry around these ideas. It's beautifully simplistic yet very complex to actually portray.

[–] ajstyled 12 years ago

This film reminds me of Brokeback Mountain...

[–] Sergeant343 11 years ago

Like most his films there is always a theme of cultural exchange.

HI F-ING YA
Nicholas Cage Deadfall

[–] tinoynk 9 years ago

Just saw this for the first time last night, and I got the feeling that it was very much about the control, or lack thereof, we have in our lives. Zack has a line about how he realizes he needs to stop living in the present, and Jack's girlfriend/hooker/employee tells him he's always planning for tomorrow because he screws up today.

In my mind they're both two sides of the same aimless, drifting coin.

Then not only are both incarcerated, taking away their freedom and control over life, but they way they are arrested is, in their minds, out of their control. Of course, Jack is a pimp and a criminal, and Zack was driving a car he knew full well to be stolen.

But in their minds, they're both innocent and purely happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Then there's Bob, who doesn't seem to dwell on such things, and serves as the foil to Jack and Zack.

At least, that's what I got out of it on my first watch.

_____________________________________________________________

Live and learn. At least we lived.