Jim Jarmusch follows his groundbreaking Stranger Than Paradise with another rambling, character-driven film with a twisted sense of humor.
Set in a seedy New Orleans summer, Down By Law details the meeting of three unlikely convicts and their just as unlikely escape. Zack (Tom Waits) is an out-of-work DJ who is accused of murder. Jack (John Lurie) is a pimp set up for a fall by a competitor, and Roberto (Roberto Benigni) is a cheerful Italian immigrant who happens to have killed a man.
The chemistry between the members of this loosely bound “team” is fascinating. Zack and Jack rely on Roberto’s energy and good will to escape their situation. Eventually, they bust out of jail and head into the Louisiana bayous. Tired and hungry, they separate to search for food.
Waits goes one way, Lurie another, and Benigni risks stepping into a diner where he meets a gorgeous Italian girl. He provides new clothes and escape routes for his astonished comrades.
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Comedy, Action, Adventure
