User reviews

Yes, Only Lovers Left Alive is another vampire movie. Yes, the characters are very pale and old and romantic. Yes, it is very much full of clichés and stereotypes. However, it is also wickedly smart, beautifully shot, filled to the brim with talent and full of cultural witticisms.

Tom Hiddleston is Adam, Tilda Swinton is Eve and Jim Jarmusch is a genius. This is a director that tells us all we need to know without doubting our intelligence. He allows us to fall into the depths of the film without worrying about a perfectly neat beginning, middle and end. He even stops his characters from following tedious and predictable patterns, because after all, they're too old for that.

This is a movie for film lovers and pop culture enthusiasts. It is a vampire film that takes advantage of its time span; cultural references dating back hundreds of years can be found at every corner. Only Lovers Left Alive does not focus on blood and gore, it is not a thriller nor a horror, it doesn't even truly focus on the world of vampires. Instead, Jarmusch studies the eternal, he explores the quiet, perhaps boring, every day life of a modern, intelligent and ancient being who has, quite literally, seen it all.

• Sinann Fetherston.

You can find a full review at MoviefiedNYC.

In a world of vampires, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) is a reclusive musician with a helper Ian (Anton Yelchin). Eve (Tilda Swinton) finds old friend Christopher Marlowe (John Hurt). Eve reconnects with Adam. They are both evolved beyond their bloodlust. They roam the deserted streets of Detroit. However they are interrupted by her wild little sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska).

It's an interesting take on the vampires. It's certainly a nice break from all the young adult vampire fares. It's got Jim Jarmusch's style of a slow deliberate indie. Tilda makes a great vampire. Tom Hiddleston fits quite nicely with Tilda. This is not a big studio churning out another vampire movie. It's moody. It has a few funny touches. It's outside the box. Mia doesn't come in until after halfway through the movie. The first half has this dreamy ethereal quality about it. I'm not sure Mia is good at playing the wild child. She is very much playing a spoiled child but she needs to be more dangerous. The movie needs to see her violence. Maybe Jarmusch thinks that actual violence would conflict with the tone of the movie. I just felt that could have been better.

Wonderful imagery. style and atmosphere in the extreme. great acting. Beauty in many forms: you get a lot for your eyes. Also, depending on your taste in music, there is also a lot for your ears.

For your brain, sadly, not as much.

"Only lovers left alive" is filled with a lot of name-dropping, by word, picture and sometimes sound. Whether you find that fascinating or pretentious depends on your taste.

But what this movie really lacks is a story. The characters are throughout and the dialogue may be scarce, but has some dry humour and snappy lines. That doesn't save it from going nowhere. Glaring plot holes may make you cringe at times. And the pacing looks like Jarmush tried to surpass Kaurismäki in terms of slowness. If so, he won.

So perhaps this movie is best tasted in the state its protagonists enter after relishing an excellent glass of blood: dazed, blissful, and somewhat drugged.

From the moment I heard that Jim Jarmusch was working on a vampire film I was intrigued and was desperate to see what the result would be. It did not disappoint for a second.

Enchantingly atmospheric, it centres around Adam and Eve, two age-old vampires whose marriage has endured centuries of humanity's slap-dash efforts at building worthwhile civilisations.

It strikes a very unusual tone for a film in this genre, although fans of Jarmusch will be used to a certain amount of genre-straddling and refusal to make easily pigeon-holed films. Don't come into this expecting a plot driven film, or especially not a CGI gore-fest akin to a lot of the lazily produced horror/fantasy material that seems so abundant at the moment. The focus is much more on creating an authentic feel and intriguing characters. Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton are virtually infallible in convincingly playing world-weary characters who have lived through plagues, inquisitions and the development of a flawed modern society.

Mia Wasikowska's arrival as Eve's volatile sister Ava is foreseen with a palpable sense of foreboding, providing an uneasy counterpart to Adam and Eve's relative level-headedness, and steps up the stakes for the final act.

John Hurt also deserves a mention for his typically assured and accomplished performance, albeit in a relatively small part.

Overall, an extremely adept piece of filmmaking, which has revitalised a genre which I, for one, was about ready to call time on.

This has been heralded as a return to form for Jarmusch but, frankly, I liked his last two films a lot better. The big problem here is that there is absolutely nothing left to say about Vampires. Jarmusch just uses the genre to create a gorgeous mood piece, but it's hard to deny the fact that we've seen it all before. Really, the plot here is almost identical to Xan Cassavetes' 2012 film Kiss of the Damned. Much like that film, Only Lovers Left Alive tries to spice of the genre with artiness, and it succeeds (as did Kiss of the Damned) up to a point. Really, Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston are so engaging the film comes off pretty good. Swinton's awesome hairdo alone makes the film worth watching. I am a little perturbed that Jarmusch glamorizes heroin chic in this film - the vampires are very rock-star like and, when they drink blood, it's depicted very much like heroin use. And it's depicted quite romantically. Tom Hiddleston's music even sounds like The Velvet Underground (I found it hilarious when characters tell him how brilliant his work is). The film co-stars John Hurt, Anton Yelchin, Mia Wasikowska and Jeffrey Wright. Wright's scenes with Hiddleston are by far the highlight of the film.

This is Jim at his utter best. The balance between emotive writing and gentle quiet spaces within the script are total perfection. The characters are well rounded and very easy to empathize with, which is surprising for a couple of centuries old vampires. There is none of the usual gaudy over the top vampiric crap that usually fills these types of movies. It's a love story at heart and one that does a fantastic job of balancing itself so that the intimacy shown on screen is divine taste of these interesting characters lives without falling over the top into some strangely perverse romcom. There is humor and and satire in abundance, though it is never cheapened or thrown into the mix to fill a gap. No this film in entirety is sweet and humbling. The sets are rich and perfectly put together, the performances are flawless from each and every member of the cast no matter how long their involvement. This movie is the type that causes you to want to crawl into it's story and settle down to live within it.

Only Lovers Left Alive is one of the most breath-taking films I have ever seen. As a fan of the more artistically styled film I was captivated throughout. The entire film is quiet and dark with an eerie feeling of timelessness that matches the souls as old as time itself, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton). The film centres around their eternal love, highlighting the modern world through the light, easy-going spirit of Eve and the tortured romantic Adam. Despite being set in the modern day it is completely unlike vampire films of recent times, presenting a visually beautiful story of true romance.

Artistic is the epicentre of this film. It is entirely set at night so it has a sleepy, soft half-light, in the empty, mysterious streets of Detroit and Tangier. The script has a minimal feel, giving the impression that every word is important, and there are some great moments of dark comedy scattered throughout, mixed with cultural and literary references and philosophical observations. Everything about it is slow and measured and perfected, even down to the synchronised movements of Adam and Eve. The acting is stunning, with a particularly beautiful performance from Tom Hiddleston, who carries the role of the suicidal vampire who has grown tired of the disrepairs of the world with a darkly sexy air. Tilda Swinton provided a light to Hiddleston's dark, offering a rescue at the darkest of moments. There was yet more contrast with Eve's wild and unpredictable younger sister (Mia Wasikowska) and the wise, worldly Marlowe (John Hurt). The clash of characters adds to the charm of the story and the style.

The film is slow-paced but contrary to other opinions I didn't feel that it dragged on in any way. It presents a lot of truths about current society which really made me think. Naturally, it remains true to some vampire film stereotypes: dark, sexy and romantic. If you're a Tom Hiddleston fan in particular I recommend this, his portrayal of such a flawed character is simply stunning. However even if you're impartial, I would highly recommend this film, everything about it is breath-taking and gorgeous. It achieves artistic without clouding the message of the film and draws you in to its perfect eternity and escapism.

One knows that a Jim Jarmusch movie about vampires is not going to be like any other vampire film. In fact it would be unkind to class this as a vampire movie. Only Lovers Left Alive is a highly stylized and atmospheric film bemoaning the passing of the great rock n roll and Hippy era. Here we have a vampire couple (Swinton & Hiddleston - both excellent and perfectly cast) living an isolated life in an abandoned house in Detroit, USA. Hiddleston used to be a famous rock n roll artist who has become a recluse collecting old guitars and records. They survive by purchasing blood samples from a corrupt doctor. We also have one of their old vampire friends (John Hurt) living in Tangiers where the blood is specially pure. Things take an unexpected turn when Swinton's mischievous sister (Mia Wasikowska) visits them. Only Lovers Left Alive has cult film written all over it. The music is great too and blends perfectly with the atmosphere. Essential for Jarmusch fans and recommended to others too!

"You drank Ian!" Best line of the film, delivered by Eve (Tilda).

There should have been more of this light-hearted irony, especially from Tom Hiddleston who takes his part (Adam) a touch too seriously. Result: he comes across as lugubrious. And he plays on a note of such desperate ennui that Tilda comes across as positively incandescent by contrast. She's the mother of the family, the fixer, the one who gets people up in the evening. She's very watchable.

But points for John Hurt as Christopher Marlowe (it was me, you know, not that Shakespeare!). And for Mia W. playing every family's nightmare, the teenage girl who can't say no.

Given the fact it wasn't shot on film one can forgive the murkiness of the picture but I don't think Jim Jarmusch has much of an eye for setting up shots. There's not much flow. Some awkward cuts. And so on.

Lots of wealthy addicts cope with their addiction provided they have access to quality drugs - Jean Cocteau being a classic example. The plot here hinges on how that supply can be so easily blocked, the panic and despair that ensues and the inevitable descent into violence. Moralistic? Maybe.

After a few years off the radar Jim Jarmusch, director of strange offbeat movies that are really hard to swallow after just one viewing, is back and this time it's with his dour vampire love story Only Lovers Left Alive. Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton play vampire lovers Adam and Eve, respectively. An obtuse reference for sure, but according to Jarmusch was a reference to Mark Twain's satirical work The Diaries of Adam and Eve, rather than the Bible. I don't know. Anyways, Adam is a reclusive underground rocker and Eve is a spirited world traveler. Adam also happens to be the creator of every famous piece of literature and music ever created. The two meet up in Detroit to enjoy each other's company and complain about how awful and unappreciative the world is, bitching about the pathetic and uninspired human population or "zombies" as they're referred to. Characters come in and out as the two lovers mope around Detroit by night, occasionally picking up healthy O-Negative blood from the hospital, and sleep during the day, effectively going nowhere, just like this movie.

I could try to write out a more elaborate synopsis of this film's plot, but honestly there isn't much more to say. Only Lovers Left Alive is a film that goes nowhere because it doesn't want to. It's a slow and somber character piece carried by fine actors who are doing everything they can with what little substance they are given. Hiddleston and Swinton own their roles as these two melancholy vampires who seem to have nothing better to do than talk about how much better they are than the zombies. To put it lightly, Only Lovers Left Alive would have been a steaming pile of horse dung if not for these two strong leads.

The movie starts out really strong. Like, really strong. The spinning overhead shots of Hiddleston and Swinton in their respective homes opens the film with captivating intrigue. I was immediately into the film when it got started. Getting to know these two characters is really fun at first because you see all of the potential of where they might go. Hiddleston is the complete embodiment of everything that is cool and hip. His suave melancholia should be obnoxious but Hiddleston nails it. Then, of course, Swinton is in peak form as always, playing the perfect yin to Hiddleston's yang.

After the first twenty or so minutes I was ready to fall completely in love with Only Lovers Left Alive. I found the characters to be brilliant, the brooding industrial rock score drew me in, and there were some great sequences that made the first act of this film so unique and so compelling. The scene where the vampire characters, Hiddleston, Swinton, and also John Hurt in a great supporting role, indulge in a refreshing shot of human blood which sends them into heroin like ecstasy gave me goosebumps and prepared me for what I expected to be a great rest of the film.

Unfortunately, the film keeps moving along, never straying from its slow glacial pace, and it never feels like we're getting anywhere. If we do get somewhere the result is so subtle and so minuscule that it might as well not even be there. I tried and tried to stay engaged by this movie but a little ways after the hour mark I had to admit that I was beginning to get bored with this film. The novelty of these cooler than cool characters wears off eventually, and by that point I was really ready for some actual storyline and substance. We get little tastes of it here and there, like when Mia Wasikowska comes in as Eve's troublemaking younger sister. This, however, is a consequence that evaporates almost as soon as it arrives. Then, by the end of the film we are left with pretty much nothing except for head scratching and shoulder shrugs.

Now, having seen other Jarmusch films I don't doubt that this is the film he wanted to make. I'm not sure why he's turned to making such empty films, but perhaps they mean something more to this fascinating man. At any rate, Only Lovers Left Alive has a lot of good things going for it, but it doesn't deliver. Most of the time you're waiting for something exciting to finally happen and just when you think it will, it doesn't. It's not a bad movie, but you don't come away feeling much more than you did when you went in.

Jim Jarmusch's delicious new comedy is a vampire movie unlike any other. It's set in the present but forget those "Twilight" sagas; these are vampires for the art-house crowd, smart, funny and yes, sexy creatures of the night, (the whole film takes place at night; there isn't a single shot in daylight), and I was crazy about them. Indeed Jarmusch has fashioned a masterpiece about a couple of lonely people whose only solace is each other, doomed if you like to be together for all eternity or until one of them gets a stake or a wooden bullet in the heart or drinks some 'bad blood'; (I loved the subtle AIDS metaphor; be careful who you bite). Adam, (tall, dark and sexy Tom Hiddleston), and Eve, (a mesmerizing Tilda Swinton), have been married to each other, several times it would appear, over the centuries but living separate lives, he in Detroit as a reclusive musician, she in Tangier where she has another old vampire for a friend. He is Christopher Marlowe, (yes that Christopher Marlowe), and he's played by John Hurt with a twinkle in his eye. It's when Eve visits Adam in Detroit, flying by night, (in a plane; what did you expect - bat-wings?), that all hell breaks loose in the shapely form of Eve's sexy sister, (a terrific Mia Wasikowska), who can't keep her fangs to herself. As you would expect from Jarmusch this is funny, intelligent and off-the-wall. Hiddleston proves to be a highly dapper comedian while Swinton is superb as Eve, getting all she can out of a life she knows is going to go on forever. Unmissable.

I've been waiting for the longest time until I got to see this one. Ever since it was first announced with an absolutely amazing cast, all I wanted was to get my hands on it. I have to say it was absolutely worth the wait.

For one thing, it is not a vampire movie per say. Sure, all the main characters are vampires, and a huge chunk of the plot revolves around their blood supply, but in all honesty, I don't think anyone expected this to play the genre straight. The metaphors on the decay of humanity (when not outright said)worked really well, and the film was filled with references to music, literature, and science that kept the tone.

For another, the character and world-building were nicely done. Tom Hiddleston's Adam is so self-involved in his own despair, that it's no wonder he's compared to Hamlet mid-movie. It's such a stereotypical character for a vampire flick post Anne Rice that you can't help but ironically love him. Tilda Swinton looks out of this world whenever you look at her, but here Eve was almost translucent, and I really enjoyed her scolding her husband whenever he was growing to become too petulant. I also found John Hurt and Anton Yelchin great,whereas Mia's Ava was so gratingly annoying, you could only applaud her for a job well-done.

Lastly, the soundtrack was amazing and I have to get my hands on it.

I really wanted to like this film. I'm a big fan of Tilda and Tom. If you love both actors, you want to see this film.

But pretty cinematography and actors only goes so far.

After awhile I found the story and the dialogue to be especially tedious. Maybe they could have changed the title to Slouching to Tangier.

There was a hint of tension but it was never fully explored.

You would imagine that hundred year old intelligent creatures would have been better prepared and also considerably much more fastidious over their abode and diet.

In the abandoned Detroit, the depressed musician Adam (Tom Hiddleston) lives in an old house in the middle of derelict buildings with his musical instruments and books. Adam has been a vampire for centuries but is tired with the fate of the world taken by wrong decisions of mankind. He has a confidentiality agreement with Ian (Anton Yelchin) that provides rare instruments to him and does not ask questions to him. Adam poses of Dr. Faust and buys blood bags from Dr. Watson (Jeffrey Wright) in a nearby hospital. His wife and lover Eve (Tilda Swinton) lives in Tangier, Morocco's, and is also a vampire. Her best friend is "Kit" Marlowe (John Hurt) that supplies blood for her that he buys from a French doctor.

When Eve calls Adam from Tangier, she feels that he is down and she decides to fly to Detroit to meet him. She meets Kit to say good-bye to him and Kit tells Eve that he had a dream with her younger sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska). Eve and Adam reunite and spend the nights making love. Out of the blue, the wild and reckless Ava comes to Adam's house and turns their lives upside-down.

"Only Lovers Left Alive" is a stylish and original vampire movie with a story of eternal love and music. The plot has no clichés and is developed in slow pace, with charismatic characters, great performances and entertaining dialogs. I dare to say that "Only Lovers Left Alive" is in 2014 what "The Hunger" was in 1983. Fans of gore or conventional vampire movies will probably not like this feature. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Amantes Eternos" ("Eternl Lovers")

Note: On 23 Oct 2018 I saw this film again.

Jim Jarmusch's film 'Only Lovers Left Alive' is contemplative drama about existence, love and immortality; one of the better English vampire-dramas in the 21st Century; most of the good ones I've seen recently have been in other languages ('Let The Right One In', 'Thirst', etc). It's the story about survival and the search for a purpose of existence; it's the story of two lovers, Adam and Eve, who have lived and loved for centuries. Everything is okay until Eve's spoilt younger sister Ava (Mia) comes to visit them after 87 years.

Adam and Eve are such interesting characters; they're wise, mature and peaceful, and have imbibed so much knowledge from around the world, in so many varied fields. The conversations they share are intriguing and passionate. Sometimes, when one has lived so long, they tend to lose meaning and purpose in life... like one of the characters does, for a while. As long as we have a person to share our existence with, everything makes sense; that's what happens when Adam and Eve reunite after years.

The gorgeously talented Tilda Swinton and the wickedly seductive Tom Hiddleston beautifully capture the essence of vampire lovers, Eve and Adam. Mia Wasikowska and Anton Yelchin's brief roles add delightful charm to the scenario. John Hurt is interesting in his cameo as the historic dramatist Christopher Marlowe as a vampire.

The background score by Carter Logan and Jozef van Wissem is really entrancing, and gives the movie a uniquely gloomy ambiance. Yorick Le Saux's cinematography is quite beautiful as well; you see places like Tangier and Detroit in the glorious light of the moon. The Arabic song performance towards the end is quite mesmerizing.

It might take a while to get used to the mood of the film, but give it some time, you won't regret it. Leave other reasons behind, and watch it for Tilda; it's a role she dons with sensuous ease.

"Only Lovers Left Alive" is a film that's both poetic and ironic - it's underground, languid and cool. If you're not on it's wavelength it may just seem slow, but if you relax and give yourself over to its we've-got-all-the-time-in-the-world pacing, you begin to enter its hypnotic stream, and then what a pleasure it becomes. The film deals with love and mortality - the passage of time, what's of value and lasts, and what is just of the moment. There also is a generational theme, embodied in the four vampire characters (relative to vampire years): childhood, adolescence, mature adult, and old age. Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddelston, as Adam and Eve, make a lovely and deeply romantic vampire couple - one for whom endless time has not been wasted - they're philosophical, sophisticated and so much in love. Tilda and Tom are perfection in these roles, their chemistry really holds the film together. John Hurt is the elder vampire mentor, Kit Marlowe, who has seen it all and has described it profoundly in the writings attributed to Shakespeare (a humorous dig at the old bard). After a while, Ava, Eve's impulsive little vampire-sprite of a sister, enters the film like a whirlwind out of L.A. ("Zombie Central") and proceeds to upend Adam and Eve's gentle world. Mia Wasikowska has a hell of a good time playing Ava as a wild, touchy-feely little jungle cat, always hungry, looking for diversion and a means to quench her endless thirst. Where Adam and Eve contemplate eternity, art and science, and a loving connection, Ava demands to be fed and wants to party. Finally, Ava's dangerous urges create a crisis that forces the vampire couple to set on another whole course. "Only Lovers Left Alive" is sensual and delicate with beautiful cinematography and a wonderfully evocative soundtrack. The film is refreshing and unique - it's both contemplative and funny, a welcomed antidote to our ADHD society and all it's endless noise, "full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing".

Sure, a really old being probably would be bored having seen it all, but no need to bore the rest of us to death, we don't have an unlimited amount of time to waste. Listed as a comedy, not a laugh in sight.