Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
In Memphis, Tennessee, over the course of a single night, the Arcade Hotel, run by an eccentric night clerk and a clueless bellboy, is visited by a young Japanese couple traveling in search of the roots of rock; an Italian woman in mourning who stumbles upon a fleeing charlatan girl; and a comical trio of accidental thieves looking for a place to hide.
Jim Jarmusch's Memphis triptych is one of his most accomplished works — a deadpan, deeply atmospheric portrait of a city haunted by Elvis and Carl Perkins. Robby Müller's cinematography is stunning, bathing the decaying Arcade Hotel and Memphis streets in a melancholy, neon-tinged glow that feels utterly singular. The film's novelty is high: the three-story structure, the recurring gunshot that links the tales, and Jarmusch's distinctive minimalist voice give it an unmistakable identity few films share. The acting is understated and charming — Youki Kudoh and Masatoshi Nagase are quietly magnetic, and Joe Strummer brings lived-in authenticity — but the ensemble is uneven across segments. The plotting is deliberately thin and episodic, which suits the film's mood but means individual stories feel slight rather than resonant. The ending, where the three narratives converge via sound, is clever and satisfying but not as revelatory as it might have been.