Nothing has changed, yet he looks younger than before. Director Jim Jarmusch has been steadily pursuing his own path in film at his own pace for over 30 years (almost 40). I was overcome with such emotion when I saw his 2016 masterpiece, "Paterson." The reason is clear: it stars Adam Driver.
If the scene that can be summed up as American indie is still alive and well, then Adam Driver is the new star who has become its biggest face over the past decade.
Of course, he is a familiar actor in major Hollywood films, having taken on the role of Kylo Ren in the popular series since "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015), but more than that, he has made his presence felt in "small films" directed by directors with strong artistic talent, such as Noah Baumbach's "Frances Ha" (2012), "The Young Adult" (2014), and "Marriage Story" (2019).
In particular, in the black-and-white film "Frances Ha," where he plays an artsy young man floating around New York, he seems like a character who just popped out of the world of early Jarmusch. Driver refreshingly explains why he decided to appear in "Paterson."
"Jim Jarmusch. He's one of the greatest film directors working today. He's a master that I would never be able to get hired by." (From an official interview)
The actors he was looking for were well versed in the director's films and treated them with great respect. It was an unparalleled relationship in which love circulated in a virtuous cycle. In this way, Jarmusch's films also experienced an ideal metabolism, revitalizing every cell in the film as if "younger than yesterday" (© The Birds).
One of the reasons Driver appeared as a new icon after just one film, "Paterson," was his reminiscent looks of a young Jarmusch. He is often pointed out as having a striking resemblance to Keanu Reeves, but he also has a striking resemblance to Jarmusch in terms of his stature and aura. It's this fateful compatibility that makes you feel like they share the same bloodline (lineage), and it almost seems as if the director is entrusting his self-portrait to him.
Also appearing in "Paterson" is Nagase Masatoshi, who will be appearing in his first Jarmusch film since 1989's "Mystery Train," as a poet from Japan. Jarmusch's cherishing his old friends is on full display, and the shot of Nagase and Driver sitting side by side on a bench is a gem of a scene that symbolizes the director's interaction between two generations.
Having joined the family in this way, Driver also starred in the new 2019 film, "The Dead Don't Die," patrolling the zombie plague alongside Bill Murray, who has become a regular in this century, appearing in films such as "Broken Flowers" (2005).
"Paterson"
"The Dead Don't Die"
Many directors have lauded actor Adam Driver, but one of the most respected directors is Martin Scorsese. Driver gave a passionate performance as a priest who suffers an unexpected and cruel fate in "Silence" (2016), based on a novel by Shusaku Endo. However, even more than Driver, Scorsese has an important collaborator in his film career who made him "younger than yesterday": Leonardo DiCaprio.
Starting with "Gangs of New York" in 2002, they have worked together five times, including "The Aviator" (2004), "The Departed" (2006), and "Shutter Island" (2009). As you may know, Scorsese's partner in the 20th century was Robert De Niro.
This golden duo, who have produced a number of outstanding masterpieces such as "Taxi Driver" (1976) and "Raging Bull" (1980), teamed up for the first time in 24 years for "The Irishman" (2019), bringing their total number of collaborations to nine.
It is true that compared to his partnership with De Niro, who was on a level with him that made them feel like brothers, DiCaprio, his "21st century partner," was undeniably initially perceived as lacking.
However, gradually, this coincided with the process of Scorsese successfully shedding his former image as an idol actor, nicknamed "Leo-sama" in Japan, and he brought a lightness of quality that De Niro lacked, resulting in the creation of a new, ultra-upbeat masterpiece called "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013).
Now, Scorsese and DiCaprio's sixth collaboration, "Killers of the Flower Moon," due to be shot in 2021, will complete a beautiful cycle with De Niro also set to appear.
Obviously, no one can escape aging, even great creators. However, in the case of a film director, entrusting the subject to a fresh body allows them to rejuvenate their own expression. This is the essence of the collaborative creative endeavor that is film. The greatest secret to a director's healthy longevity is meeting new cast members with whom they can work seriously.
Incidentally, although he stumbled over scandals brought about by his obsession with "youth," Woody Allen is in fact the epitome of a director who has softened and refreshed his films by constantly changing the way he casts.
The main heroines of the past, such as Diane Keaton, Mia Farrow, Scarlett Johansson, and Emma Stone—"muses," to use an old, exploitative term—have taken over the baton, creating a gentle wave in the style of the film. 2019's A Rainy Day in New York brought together popular young stars such as Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, and Selena Gomez.
Come to think of it, all three of the directors mentioned above are from New York. They each maintain an appropriate distance from the conventions and hustle and bustle of the Hollywood empire and showbiz world, and continue to make films while protecting their own world. They have the spirit and philosophy of long-running "small business," and may be particularly sensitive to the anti-aging effects of working together with actors.
