Having been married for centuries, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) now live continents apart, surrounding themselves with art in all shapes and forms. But when Adam succumbs to depression at the sight of what humans (”zombies”, as he calls them) have done with the world and starts planning his own death, final, this time, Eve travels the world to save her lover. Their reunion gets even more complicated when her self-willed sister (Mia Wasikowska) starts showing up in their dreams.
A vampire love story like you’ve never seen before, OLLA is filled with hypnotizing, vertiginous shots, slowly drawing you into the world as Jarmusch sees it. In his very own, unique style, the multi-hyphenate creator presents the viewers with an artful celebration of culture, both popular and classic. The anachronistic nature of the protagonists is seemingly the perfect playground for mixing the old and the new, making them the silent muses behind some of the greatest works of art in history. The movie is not afraid to name-drop all the figures its protagonists have influenced in one way or another, from Shakespeare to Schubert, with Tesla dropped in for spice. Peppered with references and allusions which are a true joy to catch, the movie pulls no punches with its audience.
Swinton and Hiddleston both thrive in their roles, seemingly born to play eerie, ageless, and tired creatures that stalk the night. Their incredible chemistry together is only augmented by the slow, psychedelic soundtrack. Jarmusch’s own band, SQURL, recorded the songs for the movie, making for the perfect guide to, first, the never-ending, desolate streets of Detroit, and then the labyrinthine alleyways of the torrid Tangier.
So, if depressed vampires, immortal love, and weirdness are your thing, and you’re not afraid to get a little bloody, this movie might just be the pick for you. Make sure to stick around for next week’s vampire movie, and in the meantime, happy haunting!