Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

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  • Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

    I've always been a fan of Jim Jarmusch. I've always gotten his films even when it's a little more difficult. I liked certain things about Broken Flowers but it seems to me there's a major plot hole.

    Why does Don have to play detective by giving the women pink flowers, looking for a typewriter, asking vague questions...if a woman he hasn't seen in 20 years sent him a letter saying he has a son and then Don showed up to her doorstep, wouldn't she know why he's there? Wouldn't the first words out of her mouth be "So you got my letter?" I just don't understand why this whole plot element was in there.

    Did I miss something?

    Ele...

  • #2
    Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

    And Jessica Lange should NOT have gotten plastic surgery. I didn't even recognize her at first. Another great face turned into frozen wax, with only a hint of her former beauty and uniqueness. A shame.

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    • #3
      Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

      Originally posted by scriptwriterNYC
      And Jessica Lange should NOT have gotten plastic surgery. I didn't even recognize her at first. Another great face turned into frozen wax, with only a hint of her former beauty and uniqueness. A shame.
      Could be worse... she could look like Frances Conroy.

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      • #4
        Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

        If she had wanted to let him know that she sent the letter she would have signed it. I have no problem with her not revealing herself to him.

        I've never been a big fan of Jarmusch, but this is my second favorite of his by a wide margin after Dead Man, which goes on my Top 20 favorites list.
        http://confoundedfilms.com

        http://www.myspace.com/confoundedfilms

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        • #5
          Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

          Much prefer his early stuff, even down to the great John Lurie soundtracks.

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          • #6
            Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

            Originally posted by Hairy Lime
            If she had wanted to let him know that she sent the letter she would have signed it. I have no problem with her not revealing herself to him.
            That's fine, Hairy. That's the incident that prompts Don's little adventure. My issue is with his detective work. The simple fact that he showed up on the doorstep of the woman who wrote the letter would prompt a reaction that would pretty much confirm she wrote it.

            Ele...

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            • #7
              Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

              Only if she didn't expect him. But if she knew him that well she might have known what he'd do and it amused her greatly to have him come calling while not giving him the satisfaction of knowing the truth. She's just sadistic. I can live with that.
              http://confoundedfilms.com

              http://www.myspace.com/confoundedfilms

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              • #8
                Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

                I remember someone also having a theory that Wright kind of concocted the whole thing to feel like a real detective by proxy.

                Interesting theory.

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                • #9
                  Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

                  I'm a Murray's fan and took my time to finally watch Broken Flowers.

                  *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

                  To the concern here, I believe the woman didn't know him well enough to expect him showing up at her door (All of them were probably just bed partners for a bit) but then again, he could just have been bored (doesn't seem to lead a wonderful life.
                  I liked the ending though. After all that traveling and work, Don remains alone much like he probably was most of his life.
                  Imho, it was still an enjoyable movie. Not the best from either Jarmusch and Murray though.
                  A talent for drama is not a talent for writing, but is an ability to articulate human relationships.
                  Gore Vidal

                  "Aisatsu Yori Ensatsu"
                  Money is better than compliments.


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                  • #10
                    Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

                    Originally posted by ihavebiglips
                    I remember someone also having a theory that Wright kind of concocted the whole thing to feel like a real detective by proxy.

                    Interesting theory.
                    I wish that was the case. Don accused him of that. But it was never confirmed or denied. Well, nothing in the movie was confirmed or denied. And I get that the point of the story is not whether or not he really has a son but whether or not Don wants to have a son. But this still didn't work for me like Jarmusch's other films.

                    Ele...

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                    • #11
                      Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

                      Originally posted by elephant1978
                      I wish that was the case. Don accused him of that. But it was never confirmed or denied. Well, nothing in the movie was confirmed or denied. And I get that the point of the story is not whether or not he really has a son but whether or not Don wants to have a son. But this still didn't work for me like Jarmusch's other films.

                      Ele...
                      Yeah, I hear you... whether or not he has a kid isn't the "point" of the flick. I think he just never wore a rubber back in his swinging days, hence his running out on the women prematurely (out of fear and/or guilt - cue Patrick Swayze in Darko here)... and always wearing a track suit.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

                        Wasn't the movie really about Don finding a constant in his life?
                        A talent for drama is not a talent for writing, but is an ability to articulate human relationships.
                        Gore Vidal

                        "Aisatsu Yori Ensatsu"
                        Money is better than compliments.


                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

                          I loved the movie. I think it's possible the letter was a fiction, that there never was a son, and it was simply intended to prompt Don to get back in touch with his old flames and learn something about himself.

                          I don't think Geoffrey Wright's character did it, though. I think it was Sherry, Julie Delpy's character.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

                            I loved Wright's "detective" character alot, and had high hopes for the movie because of that, thinking there'd actually be a mystery solved and (flaw in my character here) that the story would then progress and MEAN something.

                            Others here (wiser they) might simply say "yes, but the story you wanted isn't the story the albino wanted to tell; go, tabula, and write your own stories and direct 'em, don't complain about what's "missing" in others' work"

                            Okay.

                            LOST IN TRANSLATION and BROKEN FLOWERS irk me with the same sort of vague story resolution ... The difference is LOST IN TRANSLATION spun a web of subtle charm that pulled me into its universe, while BROKEN FLOWERS just had me watching a series of episodes that led to ... when it was over.

                            Now, Alexis Dzienna did walk around in stunning nude beauty and grace (there are no small parts, as they say) ... one might ask others' insights into THAT scene. Murray the love-'em-and-leave-'em lover now face to face with a game of youth and sexuality he is no longer adequate to play in?

                            If nothing else, there's a lesson in dealing with eros: which character and scene (Scarlett J. or the nekkid lolita in FLOWERS) leaves a more-lasting impression of the strengths and impact of the human heart and libido?

                            Is the context more erotic than the skin in story-telling, one might ask?

                            A defective story ... AND Jarmusch is accused of STEALING it? Next time, steal the story that HAS a story, white devil!
                            sigpic
                            "As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world -
                            that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves."
                            -Mahatma Gandhi.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Broken Flowers...did I miss something?

                              Originally posted by writerly
                              no.

                              the movie sucked.

                              I've never been on the Jarmusch bandwagon. Met him back in the day in NYC. Still never been on it. Hey, btw, there's a whole writing dispute/lawsuit over this one...
                              Who would wanna take credit for writing this trash anyway?

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