Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Wednesday 30 July at 7.30pm

Jim Jarmusch | USA | 1999 | 116 mins | R16 violence & offensive language

Forest Whitaker is a Zen hitman following a strict samurai code who turns against his mafioso bosses in this surreal, stylish blend of gangster thriller and martial arts action.

“Jim Jarmusch combines his love for the ice-cool crime dramas of Jean-Pierre Melville and Seijun Suzuki with the philosophical dimensions of samurai mythology for an eccentrically postmodern take on the hit-man thriller. In one of his defining roles, Forest Whitaker brings a commanding serenity to his portrayal of a Zen contract killer working for a bumbling mob outfit, a modern man who adheres steadfastly to the ideals of the Japanese warrior code even as chaos and violence spiral around him.”—Janus Films

“Ghost Dog is underpinned by Jarmusch’s familiar blend of warmth and cool-eyed distance, a mix as disarming as it is eccentric. It allows Jarmusch to poke gentle fun at his characters (and much of Ghost Dog is very funny) while simultaneously regarding them with a genuine affection. In this he is helped by some fine performances most notably from Henry Silvas gimlet-eyed Mob boss and Forest Whitakers stoic, soulful hitman with a heart—stereotypes but likeable ones, with just enough kinks to keep them interesting.”—Xan Brooks, Sight & Sound