Paterson Changed My Life
April 24, 2021 • Written by Alice Romanov
It can be quite amusing how easily the media we consume influences and impacts us, whether it be movies, music, or theater. It’s sort of fun to think about how we are just made up of collections of things we enjoy. For example, a couple months ago I was recommended a movie by a friend, who like me, is a big fan of anything and everything that Adam Driver is involved in. Naturally, I had to give “Paterson” a shot. I was surprised that I had not heard of this movie, especially since it is written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, also known for Stranger Than Paradise (1984) and Dead Man (1995). “Paterson” takes place in Paterson, New Jersey, a small township with small-town charm and follows a chronological week of a man who is also coincidentally named Paterson. Paterson’s main gig is being a bus driver and a husband, but he is also a talented solitary poet on the side. The small things in this movie are so tender and emotional, such as Paterson taking out his dog for a walk every evening. You are drawn in from the very start. In a way, this movie made me fall in love with the simplicity of life again and inspired me to take better care of my heart.
I think the casting director could not have picked anyone better than Adam Driver for the role of the main character. He plays awkward and timid Paterson so well. A strange but lovable kind of guy, which honestly sums up Adam Driver in a nutshell and is why he makes it work. You don’t know if he truly cares about his job or if he’s really invested in his marriage, but picking up on tiny details like how he listens to people’s conversations on the bus or how he supports his wife are examples to pay close attention to. I like that this movie is pretty much entirely up to interpretation and has so many unanswered questions. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but Jim Jarmusch has a tendency for slightly indistinguishable personalities in his characters and for slow-moving narratives. For example, you’re left wondering why the theme of twins pops up so often and what it means to Paterson.
One of the other main themes that is present in this movie is how the character Paterson is connected to the town he lives in. It is made clear that Paterson’s favorite writer is the famous poet William Carlos Williams, who, believe it or not, was also originally from Paterson township. Poetry is interwoven into the events of the film and is part of how you learn about who Paterson is as a person. I feel like there would be more to dissect upon a second watch, but Paterson’s poetry reveals tidbits of how he navigates and feels about his life. However, you can never tell if he is unhappy with his routines or the complete opposite.
Besides being an overall enjoyable movie, “Paterson” truly struck a chord within me and impacted me in a way that I didn’t expect it to. Not only do I want to watch more of Jim Jarmusch’s films, but I want to digest similar films and other slow-paced media. However, what affected me the most was that after watching, immediately I needed to know more about William Carlos Williams’ poetry. So what did I do? Right away I placed a volume of his collected poems on hold from the public library. Something inside me had stirred awake and suddenly I was back into the groove of reading and writing poetry for the first time in awhile. What I really enjoyed about Paterson’s character was that he took a little notebook of his poems everywhere he went. He would write in the morning before he started up the bus he drove, on his lunch break at Passaic Falls, and whenever he was moved by something occurring around him. I love the concept of taking a poetry book with me everywhere, so the next day I bought a lined notepad and decided to carry it with me and write short poems whenever I felt the urge to. The most surprising thing? I’ve been keeping up with it. Although nowadays, I write stanzas on scraps of paper at my job, but later I end up copying them down and formulating more structured poems in this same little notebook.
You’re probably wondering, did an indie film really change the course of my life? Yes and no. After all, it is just a movie, you can take from it what you want. But for me, the minimalistic approach to life that Paterson has in this movie made me want to nurture my emotional nature. This is definitely going to be a movie that I will remember, and I suppose I could call it one of my favorites now. Since watching it a couple of months ago, I have realized that there have been many positive changes in my life and I have had the desire to watch more movies and read more too! I highly recommend seeing “Paterson” (available on Amazon Prime) and finding something to take away from it, something to hold and cherish, at least for a little while.
