One of many later stage, "sad" Bill Murray movies, Broken Flowers was written and directed by respected auteur Jim Jarmusch, and tells the story of apathetic lothario Don Johnston, who - upon learning that he has a grown-up son he's never even met or heard of - sets out on a quest to find out what's going on. The movie has Murray, in typically brilliant deadpan form, driving across country and visiting those women who could potentially be the mothers, played by a slew of talented actresses, including Sharon Stone, Tilda Swinton, Frances Conroy and Jessica Lange. And for the most part, Broken Flowers is great, witty fun. Murray nails a role that he was born to play, and the segments that he shares with each potential mother are humorous, surprising and interesting (in that order). The problem with Broken Flowers comes with its ending, which is so vague and ambiguous that it near-on dooms a movie that felt like it had a point as one which feels like it really doesn't. We don't find out the truth about Don's son; the film ends at what feels like its halfway point instead, with our character standing on a crossroads. All that for nothing?
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
