10 Underrated Films From 1999

Only a filmmaker as singular as Jim Jarmusch could make a movie about a black samurai Mafia hitman a profound, slow-paced meditation on the nature of duty. He seamlessly combines the tropes of these two genres to showcase the clash between the samurai’s zen principles and the mafia’s brash violence.

Jarmusch uses the setting and casting to showcase the dying of the old ways. The urban landscapes of New York City contrast perfectly with the ancient samurai traditions, and all the actors playing the mobsters are doddering old men. A far cry from The Godfather or Goodfellas, these wise guys are all past their prime, and their old age reflects the changing world around them.

Forrest Whitaker’s performance and a Wu-Tang Clan-Esque score composed by the RZA provide Ghost Dog’s heart and style. The film is much less interested in the violence of its premise and focuses more on the titular Ghost Dog’s relationship with the people he meets in his day-to-day life. These include his mobster “master” Louie, a young girl who loves to read, and a French-speaking ice cream man. It’s through these conversations that Jarmusch gets to showcase his signature philosophical dialogue while revealing how Ghost Dog applies the core tenets of the samurai to his life.