Down by Law (1986)

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DJ Zack and pimp Jack end up in prison for being too laid-back to avoid being framed for crimes they didn't commit.

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Directed By: Jim Jarmusch

Written By: Jim Jarmusch

Starring: Ellen Barkin, Roberto Benigni, Tom Waits, John Lurie, Nicoletta Braschi, Joy N. Houck Jr., Rockets Redglare, Vernel Bagneris, Billie Neal, Carrie Lindsoe, Timothea, L.C. Drane

Genres: Comedy, Drama

Country: USA, West Germany

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Down by Law belongs to 56 collections

1. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by kozan26 - 232 stars)

2. Criterion Collection (collaborative: moderated by caffe - 165 stars)

3. boobs (collaborative: moderated by Pickpocket - 51 stars)

4. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2008 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 39 stars)

5. Jonathan Rosenbaum's Top 1000 Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 38 stars)

6. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2010 revision) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 32 stars)

7. New York Times' The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 31 stars)

8. The Guardian's 1000 films to see before you die (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 30 stars)

9. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2014 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Jehan - 27 stars)

10. Full Female Frontal Nudity (Yes, Bush!) (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 26 stars)

11. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2012 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 25 stars)

12. IMDb Top 250 Complete (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 23 stars)

13. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2017 revision) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 22 stars)

14. Post-1960s black & white photography (collaborative: moderated by djross - 21 stars)

15. They Shoot Pictures' Recommended Viewing (collaborative: moderated by Cinephile - 19 stars)

16. Best of criticker: Drama (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 18 stars)

17. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2013 revision) (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 16 stars)

18. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 16 stars)

19. Best film of top directors (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 15 stars)

20. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2011 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 14 stars)

21. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)

22. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2020 revision) (public: djross - 13 stars)

23. Southern Gothic (collaborative: moderated by Bojangles - 7 stars)

24. Best of criticker: Comedy (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 7 stars)

25. List: Taschen (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 6 stars)

26. Prison (collaborative: moderated by td888 - 5 stars)

27. Life in the Deep South (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 5 stars)

28. 500 essential cult films (not seen) (public: cayh - 5 stars)

29. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2007 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 4 stars)

30. BFI Screen Guides' 100 American Independent Films (collaborative: moderated by Coheed - 4 stars)

31. edkrak films to see (public: edkrak - 4 stars)

32. Movies with acting musicians (collaborative: moderated by comepelicula - 3 stars)

33. Criterion Collection (Blu-ray and 4K) (public: PepeCamello - 3 stars)

34. Robby Müller, Cinematographer (collaborative: moderated by paulofilmo - 2 stars)

35. High contrast black and white cinematography (collaborative: moderated by juandr - 2 stars)

36. Independent (collaborative - 1 star)

37. Cannes 1986 Official Selection (collaborative)

38. Ultra-high contrast black and white (collaborative: moderated by juandr)

39. noike/caffes Topp 100 filmer! (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson)

40. Movies Every Man Should See (Esquire) (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub)

41. Tim's Favorite Movies (collaborative)

42. Available on Divicast (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)

43. Deeveedee (public: The Goat)

44. Rian Johnson's Top 10 Criterion Collection Films (public: TychoCelchuu)

45. Filmspotting Ratings Project: Week 25 (public: PeaceAnarchy)

46. BF-80 (public: caffe)

47. My Home Video Library (public: joseywales)

48. Movies to See: Comedy (public: Lord Moe)

49. Urban Cinematics (book) (public: Ag0stoMesmer)

50. jeff_h's films to remember (public: jeff_h)

51. to-do (public: chxflx)

52. Films Dunstan Owns (public: Dunstan-xxx)

53. Blu-Rays (public: katatonic)

54. C-1980 (public: cantahta)

55. 1980s Mile High Club (public: Dunstan-xxx)

56. prison (public: davidysteph)

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All Ratings | With Reviews

Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
9	Pickpocket	10 _98th
Tom Waits is a fascinating individual. If he wasn't such an amazing musician I would wish he would do more acting. But maybe seeing him in a movie once every couple of years makes me appreciate it more. This movie is mesmerizing in a very weird way that I can't explain in words. And by the way, Jim Jarmusch is better than you. "He just walked in there like an idiot."
3	NathanDarko	94 _91st
Down by Law is awesome...in many ways.Waits is so leasure and cool, Begnini is nervous and loquacious as always.But what makes the film real unique & beautiful is the excellent Camera Work by Robby Müller.He picked up every small Detail. The Result is one of the best Jarmusch Movie of all times. It's a sad and beautiful world...no doubt, it is!
2	Dorkovsky	7 _83rd
Better than most of Jarmusch's aimless films that I've seen (Dead Man, Stranger than Paradise, Coffee and Cigarettes) but I still think its a little overrated.
2	Alex Watkins	5 _91st
Myth-making steeped in offbeat Americana, with Roberto Benigni as the cheerful outsider here to remind his hard-boiled compatriots of the capacity of their home, and his adopted, country to offer the promise of hope, beauty and opportunity even in its seediest and most destitute corners.
2	PeaceAnarchy	79 _57th
An enjoyable Jarmush flick, though I never truly found it especially gripping. The lackadaisical mood and nice cinematography are good and the acting is pretty enjoyable, but it all felt somehow incomplete to me.
2	frederic_g54	9 _90th
Nothing wrong with this one, well acted and at times hilarious. A rugged, contemplative, unpredictable exposé on an unlikely friendship brought about by their stolid (save for Benigni's) ride though life. My kind of film.
2	Manhatta	92 _82nd
Almost a buddy-comedy, you really wish you could have been the fourth man with these guys. Benigni is amazing, Lurie is a great asshole that you come around to by the end, and Tom Waits is fucking cool and is at his best with Jarmusch. Oh, and Ellen Barkin is so fucking hot. A really warm, feel-good prison escape film.
2	nunstrangler	71 _60th
Slow-moving at times, beautifully shot throughout. Poignant and hilarious, the film is true to Jarmusch form: some will love the film's offbeat flair, and others will find it bothersome.
1	enomen	85 _55th
Three hopeless, hapless men get caught on the wrong side of the law and find themselves in a prison cell together... but not for long. Shot in black and white and with time to kill, we follow the unlikely trio as they try to escape their destinies. Wonderfully cast, shot and scripted, the ease with which this film flows along is beautiful.
1	Nathan S	4 _74th
The chemistry between these three is something special.
1	aethewulf	90 _95th
Funniest jarmusch movie, i love it.
1	Mentaculus	74 _61st
"My Momma use to say America is the big melting pot. You bring it to a boil and all the scum rises to the top." Rises above, perhaps, in Jarmusch's America. Once the plot shook off its listlessness (and some near-disastrous line readings) and sat by the fire it certainly gained some admirable warmth and integrity. Helping things, Tom Waits is the sum of the world's collective awesomeness, multiplied by the surprising depth of his pathos-driven persona.
1	grunion	1 _0th
20 minutes just to get the main characters into jail... One even duplicates Cool Hand Luke (and he was jailed in the first few minutes). Slow, slow, slow. The dialogue just wasn't good enough to make me forget that I wanted every minute spent watching this back. I'd watch it again, if handsomely compensated.
1	mtorgay	88 _85th
roberto benigni numero uno. mucho bene actore he is
1	Attached Eon	65 _52nd
the usual jarmusch suspects deliver on this one. It isn't perfect, far from it, but it has a certain beat charm to it.
1	Puya	88 _88th
It's a sad and beautiful world!
1	moraesfelipe	75 _80th
More mature than Stranger than Paradise, Down by Law's odd situations and original narrative make the film a must for comic fable lovers.
1	AndreasThau	98 _99th
Roberto Benigni, John Lurie (with a great score to the film as well) and Tom Waits. Jim Jarmusch pulls us down to earth, which is both entertaining and tough. Like drifting dogs, our main characters search for not just freedom, but also a purpose of living. There are so many absurdities in and around us, and sometimes the simplicity of films as Down By Law makes us get a grip.
1	Miss Marple	95 _95th
You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice-cream !
1	bob thrillin	79 _62nd
I SCREAM-A YOU SCREAM-A WE ALL SCREAM-A FOR ICE CREAM-A
1	TrixRabbi	93 _98th
Easily one of Jarmusch's best. And who doesn't enjoy when Tom Waits acts?
1	damil	75 _81st
When you combine Jarmusch's style with the charming and comedic Roberto Benigni and the awesome Tom Waits (who also contributes to the soundtrack), you're gonna get something special. As typical of Jarmusch, it's minimal and not much happens, but I found it interesting nonetheless.
1	lex	90 _80th
Jarmusch created an undeniably cool and alluring style with his breakthrough film "Stranger than Paradise" but not until "Down By Law" did he form an idea of character and plot that would allow the style to really ooze substance and merge into this essential piece of Americana and independent filmmaking.
1	lisa-	3 _30th
"you sure don't understand women", writes ol' jimbo, a line delivered by a black woman spread-eagle naked on a bed whilst a clothed pimp counts his cash in the most nonchalant way possible. wee jimsy is trying so hard to be cool and ironic that the result is fucking ridiculous, at least in the beginning. it definitely gets better toward the end, and there's some enjoyable moments scattered throughout, but this might be the worst film i've seen by jibbly-o-jimbo to date. wanker.
1	JonnyHalftab	87 _71st
Benigni and Lurie are fantastic but the last act drags at times and other than a few well lit scenes, the choice to film in black and white felt arbitrary

Average Percentile 69.08% from 2170 Ratings