Mystery Train poster & wallpaper

Masatoshi Nagase, Youki Kudoh, Screamin' Jay Hawkins

An exploration of Memphis, Tennessee seen through the eyes of non-Americans.

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88% liked it

2,736 ratings

R, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Jim Jarmusch

Release Date: November 17, 1989

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DVD Release Date: March 28, 2000

Stats: 478 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (478)

  • mistershinobi
    September 18, 2009
    mistershinobi
    Deep in my heart, I always knew Jim Jarmusch was meant to be my ultimate influence when it comes to filmmaking, as he single-handedly influenced almost every single indie filmmaker in the last two decades, including most of my favorite directors. Maybe that's why I'm always so af...( read more)raid of seeing his movies, what if I don't find myself influenced or at least attracted to them? I've been very careful about when and how I watch his films. I saw Stranger than paradise and I liked it a lot, but I didn't feel it as close to my heart as I thought I would. I will see it again someday, hoping this time it speaks to me in a more personal way.

    I had to choose carefully which Jarmusch movie I was going to see after the first tone, Down by Law maybe? What about Permanent Vacation or Night on Earth? The decision was made for me when the Cineteca Nacional released a program called Rock & Film: Mystery Train was the lucky one.

    I was sadly disappointed by all the negative, awfully lame reviews I've found all over the internet but, thankfully, I hadn't actually seen or read anything about the film before today's screening so, in a way, I was a virgin. And, boy! What an experience it was!

    From start to finish, I realized every single movie that came after Jarmusch's was just a mere -sometimes clueless- attempt to evoke his idea of beauty, rhythm, loneliness, minimalism, gesture economy, character development, use of music, sense of humor, odd friendships/relationships: the essence of his genius. A friend of mine who watched the movie with me actually said afterwards: "This just ruined Pulp Fiction for me." I wouldn't go that far but it definitely opened my eyes to new possibilities, and made me as happy and joyful as a Jarmusch movie should make you. The details of everyday life suddenly looked brighter and funnier with every step I took after the credits rolled: I was hooked. Next stop: Down by Law and Dead Man.

    I read somewhere a review saying the characters were not interesting enough, and another one saying the second part of the story is complete non-sense and the third one is just lame. I keep reliving the movie in my head, unable to understand which "uninteresting" or "lame" scenes and characters those people saw! Every single character is beautifully developed through unrelated dialogues (the characters express their feelings and thoughts by not expressing them), looks and silences, usually broken by Elvis himself. Every single second of silence makes more noise than all the dialogue put together. As for the second segment being "non-sense", I found it to be the most emotionally gripping and sad. Nicoletta Braschi (who I usually relate to crappy, annoying Roberto Benigni movies) digs deep in her soul through a subtle, almost inexistent performance, portraying a woman whose husband died, wandering alone through Memphis, surrendering to the mischievousness of others, who scam her every step of the way. She's lost, hopeless and doesn't know how to react to every single thing surrounding her yet, at the end of the day, she finds solace inside the same rundown hotel as the other characters, a dark, old, falling-to-pieces limbo that keeps the souls of its inhabitants locked up for one night only, changing their lives not with big explosions, but with small decisions that create big waves in their relationships.

    You can read deeply into every frame of the movie or you just can sit down, relax and laugh (a lot, trust me), as Jarmusch's movies usually have space for both interpretations. This is 100%, pure Jarmusch, from start to finish, and an excellent start for neophytes like myself.

    This is the movie that came before every other movie, and that's a fact.
  • ceWEBrity
    September 11, 2007
    ceWEBrity
    Mystery Train was capable of much better. It's divided into thirds; the first portion is the best, far and away. The Japanese couple are the richest characters, have the best dialogue, and experience the most interesting situations. The second portion is uninvolving, with a coupl...( read more)e of gleaming moments to be taken from the chaff. The third is just dumb.

    The fact that these three stories overlap time is a purposeless gimmick - something to tie these incongruous tales together. Ideally, you'd do best just watching the first forty minutes and shutting the movie off.
  • mjgildea
    November 22, 2006
    mjgildea
    Has its moments, but not the best movie ever made.
  • doboy1
    November 5, 2006
    doboy1
    A great cast and a great story
  • Sleaze
    September 7, 2006
    Sleaze
    Elvis provides the link for these three stories set in Memphis, Tennessee. The first focuses on two avid Japanese Elvis fans, the second on an Italian woman stuck in town after her plane is forced to land and the third (featuring Buscemi) follows a group of locals who run into tr...( read more)ouble with the law after a heavy night of drinking.

    In my opinion (and I know others disagree with this) it's the first story makes this film worth watching. Sure the other two stories are interesting enough but I found them bland in comparison to the wonderfully engaging juxtaposition presented by the trendy Japanese couple wandering through the dilapidated streets of downtown Memphis. The argumentative nature of the couple brings a slightly surreal air to the preceedings and this is due in part to the stellar performances by Nagase and Kudoh.

    Perhaps not Jarmusch's strongest title (and to be honest I find him a little overrated) but it should please his fans and provides a solid entry point for those wishing to seek out more.
  • robfearon
    June 18, 2009
    robfearon
    Mystery Train insinuates itself into the memory and lingers on. It's one of the best anthology films I've seen.
  • jamiebabysf
    February 27, 2009
    jamiebabysf
    A great movie! Another masterpiece in celluloid. Interesting, wierd, and familiar all at once.
  • utsumiyahime
    February 3, 2009
    utsumiyahime
    Excellent movie, so funny and moving, with really good acting
  • jonrmcmahon
    December 21, 2008
    jonrmcmahon
    The rich American history of Memphis provides an otherwordly backdrop for those who come to visit. The first "Far From Yokohama" segment is the best, following a couple of naive Japanese country music tourists. The second, "A Ghost," is forgettable, and the final, "Lost in Spac...( read more)e," is pretty amusing, with the three guys just drinking, driving and rambling. Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Cinqué Lee and Tom Waits tie the whole thing together with comic relief.
  • uglykidjoerules
    November 17, 2008
    uglykidjoerules
    I loved the last episode (please put Buscemi in every f*ckin movie) waaay more than the others. Jarmusch's style and atmospheres always catch my attention and every movie is a pleasure...

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Mystery Train Trivia

  • " She was very groovy. Your father loved her very much. If there was one other cat in this world who could have loved her and treated her as well as your dad, well it was me. But unfortunatly for yours truly, that train has sailed."  Answer »
  • In "Amelie", what did Nino collected in train stations, in order to try and solve a mystery?  Answer »
  • Name the director to the following films, Permanent Vacation, Mystery Train?  Answer »
  • Which of these musicians did NOT have a role in the indi-film "Mystery Train" by director Jim Jarmusch?  Answer »
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