'Only Lovers Left Alive' (2012) is the wry and enjoyable story of two vampires, Adam and Eve (Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton), who have been married for thousand of years and find themselves living thousands of miles apart, only to be reunited in modern-day Detroit to find Adam in a state of disrepair. The reunion of the two paramours is further shaken up by the sudden arrival of Swinton’s wayward young vampire sister, Ava (Mia Wasikowska), whose troublesome ways set the heart of the story in motion.
Written and directed by celebrated indie auteur Jim Jarmusch, 'Only Lovers Left Alive' is the type of evenly-paced and drolly eccentric dramedy that only Jarmusch could have crafted. The mood and atmosphere are especially palpable and affective, aided immeasurably by a darkly somber and engaging soundtrack by Jozef Van Wissem & SQÜRL.
Less of a fully-fledged narrative and more of a modern-day vampire slice-of-life, 'Only Lovers Left Alive' is the type of film that ebbs gently under skin and stays awhile. A perfect addition to Jarmusch's oeuvre, not to be missed by fans of his work or similarly languid character studies punctuated by dry wit and sharp, enticing dialogue.
View the trailer: