What is Ghost Dog
about?
It's about this kick-ass hitman who gets betrayed by his employers,
sending him on a bloody rampage of... No, no, that's not it. Let me start
again.
It's an earnest meditation about the fluid nature of culture, and how
those who adhere to their societal norms often find themselves...nah, too
intellectual.
It's an offbeat comedy about the isolation of the modern age and the
wacky mayhem that ensues when... Nope. That won't work either.
Jeez, what the heck is Ghost Dog about?
As near as I can tell, it's about all of the above and more -- a quirky
mix of gangster flick, social commentary, and black comedy that melds them
all into a wonderful whole. It's about a group of characters who live out
of step with their times, and the ways they make peace with that. It's
about social misconceptions and the human bonds which ultimately transcend
them. And yes, it's about a kick-ass hitman taking on the thugs stupid
enough to double-cross him.
Forest Whitaker plays the title character, a strange assassin who
adheres to the ancient samurai code of bushido. He works for the Mafia,
carrying out contract killings at the behest of a low-level gangster who
once saved his life. By rescuing him, the man has unwittingly become his
daimyo, or honored lord; serving him gives Ghost Dog the chance to
fully embody the samurai code. Then, after a string of perfect hits,
something goes wrong. He shoots a made man, while leaving a lone witness
alive. Rather than risk a war, the mob decides to hunt him down...and the
real bloodshed begins.
This synopsis belies the movie's complexity: it's not an action film,
although it portrays a very violent world. Director Jim Jarmusch concerns
himself more with sociology than gunfights, using an action framework to
hang a host of thematic questions upon. He presents a combination of
living, dead, and dying cultures to draw fascinating connections between
his characters. Ghost Dog adheres to an extinct code, but he also lives in
the modern world, embracing the inner-city street life surrounding his
rooftop abode. In contrast, his Mafia foes live ensconced in their
hermetic hideouts, watching cartoons and trying to convince themselves
that the world hasn't passed them by. With practiced discipline, Jarmusch
shows us how these wildly differing points of view interact and what
happens when their flawed understanding gives way to open conflict.
Is it pretentious? At times. But it's also wildly compelling and holds
your interest with deceptive ease. The script contains some wonderful
dialogue while never losing track of the main themes. There are some
terrific action scenes, but they never overwhelm the characters. Jarmusch
isn't afraid to laugh at his material either: Ghost Dog has some
truly funny moments without derailing the essential seriousness of the
plot. At the center of it all is Whitaker, whose sleepy-eyed, yet eerily
confident performance gives the film a rock-solid foundation. You can see
how strongly Ghost Dog believes in his outdated code, and the strength it
gives him to face his enemies. Yet his quiet conversations hold as much
power as his gunplay, and you find yourself equally interested in both.
Without Whitaker, Ghost Dog's deft balancing act would come
crashing to the ground.
It really is difficult to pin this film down, which may be one of the
reasons why it works so well. Smart, engaging, and weirdly cool, Ghost
Dog defies easy pigeonholing in favor of a complexity all its own.
There aren't a lot of films out there that could take on so much and pull
it all off with such aplomb. Whatever you may be looking for, this one has
it. In spades.
From www.flipsidemovies.com/
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