Night on Earth (1991)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Graham J

  
  With this collection of shorts Jarmusch still has done no wrong. I especially love the first sequence with Gena Rowlands and Winona Ryder as well as the sequence with Giancarlo Esposito and Rosie Perez.

• Jennifer X

  
  I so don't believe Winona Ryder as a cab driver but I think that's the point.

• Anthony L

  
  Jarmusch once said "The beauty of life is in small details, not in big events". Watch Night on Earth to understand exactly what he means by that. A great cast in a great collection of short films, brilliant, the best of American independent cinema.

• Ken S

  
  Very funny and even touching at times. An odd cult film made in the way only Jarmusch can. Worth it for Benigni's segment alone.

• Chris W

  
  I may be overinflating the rating by just a bit (maybe a half-star too many), but this movie, or better yet, collection of five related vignettes really got to be on a deep level. This ended up being the perfect movie for a stay at home dinne/movie date. The connection between the… More
  I may be overinflating the rating by just a bit (maybe a half-star too many), but this movie, or better yet, collection of five related vignettes really got to be on a deep level. This ended up being the perfect movie for a stay at home dinne/movie date. The connection between the five stories is that they all take place on the same night in five different cities around the world, and each story looks at the interaction between a cabbie and their passenger(s). In the end, this becomes a connection of character studies, of life itself, and how itr seems that only at night are people truly open with their words and feelings. It's quriky, funny (at times down right hilarious), and ultimately moving and heartfelt. Check this one out. Unlike Rachel Getting Married (among others), this is an indie film that doesn't suck.

• Michael S

  
  Jarmusch's best work. A masterpiece. *On my "best of the 1990s" list.

• Ross C

  
  5 cities, 5 cabs, 1 night. A mixture of philosophical sketches that only briefly makes one ponder and comedy sketches that work better. It may once have been an original comparison of cultures, but nowadays just seems very dated.

• xGary X

  
  Nicely shot but ultimately superficial collection of shorts by Jim Jarmusch. Some stories impress more than others, but the stories are never fleshed out as they are just TOO short. A case of style over substance.

• Michael G

  
  A funny and touching movie.

• Ryan M

  
  **** out of **** Jim Jarmusch understands human beings. The way I see it, he has lived out his life observing them; forever fascinated by the things they say, the ways in which they move, and how they think. A born filmmaker; he brings his general interest in mankind to the screen… More
  **** out of **** Jim Jarmusch understands human beings. The way I see it, he has lived out his life observing them; forever fascinated by the things they say, the ways in which they move, and how they think. A born filmmaker; he brings his general interest in mankind to the screen with much passion. It's what he's been doing since "Stranger Than Paradise" and "Mystery Train"; and it's what he's doing in "Night on Earth" - which is one of my personal favorites from the director. It's an anthology film told in five acts; each one bearing both differences and similarities in both setting and characters (they all take place in taxi cabs and depict the relationship/bond shared between driver and passenger). This is not much unlike "Mystery Train"; which only took about three separate anthology pieces to tell the story - but at least it doesn't feel as if Jarmusch is filling his vision to the top with ideas that he can't properly execute. He has one main focus and his grasp is - to say the least - rather tight. Part one of five - the driver is Corky (Winona Ryder), the passenger is Hollywood executive Victoria Snelling (Gena Rowlands), and the city is Los Angeles. When the journey begins, it is the evening; the taxi ride goes well into the night. Since there isn't much to do in a cab (unless you've got a cellular phone, like Victoria does *shocker*); the two women decide to engage in some prolonged, thoughtful chats. Initially off-put by Corky's tomboyish and often times unfiltered - vulgar - attitude; Victoria soon learns to appreciate the youngster, and once they arrive at their destination, Jarmusch finds it the perfect moment for an honest, all too human end-of-the-road dialogue exchange between these two characters; and for the night, it shall be their last. The city is now New York. A determined black man - whose name is revealed to be "Yo Yo" (Giancarlo Esposito) - calls for just a single cab to pick him up, even when the city that never sleeps happens to be filled with them. Not one will pick him up; it's most likely a racial thing, in this instance. But then, one taxi pulls over and the driver - an older man with the peculiar name of Helmut Grokenberger (Armin Mueller-Stahl) - offers Yo Yo a lift. He accepts, but then considers declining the offer any further when he discovers the position of his driver; an immigrant from Slovakia with little experience as a taxi driver and much more as a clown in his homeland. Like the first unlikely two taxi-occupants, these two get increasingly bored over time and find solace in each-other through conversation. And as can be expected from Jarmusch - a talented and inspired storyteller - the dialogue is engaging. Smack dab in the middle we've got Paris, France. We open on the driver (Isaach De Bankole) - who goes unnamed - as he is harassed by two businessmen, and think of it, in the comfort of his own cab! He kicks them out, leaves them in the streets, and looks for new business; ultimately finding it in a blind woman (Beatrice Dalle), with whom he would much like to swap personal life philosophies. But she's a tough cookie; and it isn't going to be particularly easy to reach her. The driver - who is from the Ivory Coast - will find that the racial gap between the two is larger and far more significant than initially predicted. Next to last, we end up in Rome, Italy. From the clocks that are shown between each individual segment (and in the beginning of the film), we learn that it is early morning. The cab driver in the fourth part of the story is Gino (Roberto Benigni). He spends his nights and early mornings having lonely - but very funny - conversations with the two-way radio; in which he describes disturbing - but again, quite amusing - sexual fantasies. After his first attempt at this, he finally finds himself a customer; a priest (Paolo Bonacelli). Things just get even weirder than they already were once the priest steps into the cab; as Gino decides this would be a good time to confess his sins to the holy man - some of which include sexual encounters with pumpkins and sheep, and a romantic affair with his brother's wife. His description of such things proves too much for the priest; in the end leaving the driver in a sticky situation. Finally, we arrive in Helsinki; where taxi driver Mika (Matt Pellonpaa) feels as desolate and alone as any cab driver working the late night shift; that is until he assigns himself to picking up three good ol' boys. And while one of them is far from OK mentally or physically, they're still, well, good ol' boys. You see, the one who isn't quite right has just had the worst day of his life; he lost his job, his car, his wife, and his daughter is pregnant. It would seem that his buddies tried to aid him and ultimately drowned their collective sorrows in alcohol; which, as we can see, lead to not much of anything at all. However, in telling their friend's sad story; Mika decides to share his own, which is melancholic on a whole new level - but at the same time, entirely heartfelt. I've said too much about each fifth that makes up the film's plot; I just couldn't help myself. Now you know all that you NEED to know if you plan on watching this film; which is, in my opinion, a triumph in the understanding of human nature. The dialogue is rich and very...real. The situation are believable and often times, they have some sort of payoff which comes in both the emotional and intellectual variety. As with the best films from writer-director Jarmusch; "Night on Earth" has a philosophy and a purpose, both of which run deep in spite of the lack of a "moral message". But...must all films have one? I don't think so; of course, a pointless film is needless, but one that is good on its own without a distraction of message-making is just fine by me. For fans of Jarmusch, this one pulls very few punches; it's what you'd expect from one of modern independent cinema's pioneers. You will either find each segment intoxicating and involving or slow and plodding. But that is, ultimately, where the beauty is at.

• Mike T

  
  This is one of Jim Jarmusch's most beloved movies, and for good reason. It's such a vibrant movie, with a strong visual appeal and a cast of great performances. What holds such a loosely threaded series of events together is the strength of each individual segment in the… More
  This is one of Jim Jarmusch's most beloved movies, and for good reason. It's such a vibrant movie, with a strong visual appeal and a cast of great performances. What holds such a loosely threaded series of events together is the strength of each individual segment in the picture. The dialogue, characters and subject matter are engaging in each of the vignettes, and even emotionally poignant at times.

• Robert F

  
  It's possible to criticise Night on Earth on a story-by-story basis as fast or dull or sad. It's possible but irrelevant, since the film's cumulative power is what matters, and that power is undeniable.

• Ina S

  
  Indisputably one of the best films ever made. And Jarmusch's best for sure. Watching it for about 20 times hasn't lessened my enjoyment.

• Wu C

  
  Jarmush wrote the script in 8 days and it still works in many ways.

Read all 14 featured audience ratings