PATERSON

“The Line”

There’s an old song

my grandfather used to sing

that has the question,

(this fish line is heard at 1:54 in the above link)

Paterson (Adam Driver), the Paterson New Jersey poetic bus driver, is then interrupted, as he is every time he tries to write his poetry, and never finishes the thought. A sad, lonely, quiet man who appears to be content living with his unfocused, ever-changing artist girlfriend Laura (Golshifteh Farahani) in an endless sexless routine of work and life – oh shoot – I just got the point.

A very well done Indie lover’s movie having many slow long, quiet scenes. Long shots of beer, shoes, waking up, chess, crooked mailbox, walking to work, driving the bus, statues in town, twins, various passenger conversations, etc. Some events change the day, but not the life.

Paterson poetic bus driver Image from the movie "Paterson"

The Biggest Spoiler: The Ending

Paterson the poetic bus driver is convinced by the girlfriend to change his routine, the dog eats his book containing all his poetry. Being a little more sad than usual, by chance, he meets a Japanese poet visiting Paterson, New Jersey and they talk about poetry. The Japanese poet gives Paterson a blank notebook and he begins to write again.

“Pumpkin”

My little pumpkin,

I like to think about other girls sometimes,

but the truth is

if you ever left me

I’d tear my heart out

and never put it back.

There’ll never be anyone like you.

Nothing changes.

Movie Details

PATERSON

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