"isn’t just a film of metaphors and imagery, there’s a perfect undercurrent of humour throughout the film that remains good-natured"

After seemingly endless blockbusters, it’s a treat to enjoy the influx of smaller budget movies as we escape the outdoor chill. Paterson is a gem among those pictures, and a much anticipated one at that.

Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch, much is expected of a titan of the ‘indie’ genre - after all, Jarmusch has been crafting films from scratch for 30 years, all infused with his unique, understated style. Paterson is a great companion of some of his best films, holding back on plot events and instead treating viewers to a meditative look at the value of art and of finding a purpose.

The film stars Adam Driver (The Force Awakens, Girls) as Paterson, a bus driver and poet who works in the city of New Jersey that shares his name. He lives with his wife Laura, played by Golsifteh Farahani (Body of Lies, Rosewater), a kind dreamer who spends her days finding new artistic outlets, not always to great effect. We witness their lives for a week, full of the usual mundane repetition of ordinary life, as well as small triumphs and losses.

The film has little else in terms of events, aside from a sneaky cameo by a pair that Wes Anderson fans will instantly recognise. Otherwise, the strength lies in the interactions between characters, particularly between the lead couple, whose relationship is built on complete devotion and a bit of sacrifice too.

They’re different in a lot of ways - Laura strives to be artistic, attempting to make her own stamp with an obsession with monochrome (clothes, home decor, you name it). Paterson is already artistic, his modernist poetry tinged with emotional honesty that sinks deep. Unlike Laura, he’s in a world of colour - when his artistic monochrome colours come out, it’s simply when his notepad and pen do.

If this seems like a lot of analysis into colours, the film certainly expects you to go there. There’s a host of other motifs in the film, all of which contribute to the ideas in a way that will delight those who love to find meaning. In fact, it’s encouraging you to find a meaning without presenting any clear answers, just as Paterson does through poetry when he studies a simple box of matches.

Paterson isn’t just a film of metaphors and imagery however - there’s a perfect undercurrent of humour throughout the film that remains good-natured. A particular scene-stealing turn by an English bulldog called Marvin is a perfect counter-balance to the understated tone of the rest of the film. He’s a dastardly character but man, that little squashy face is adorable.

Much has been made in early reviews about Adam Driver’s performance, and they’re right. Driver’s star has been rising for a few years now - a standout in HBO’s Girls, he’s gone from comfortable indie actor to a blockbuster name as Star Wars villain Kylo Ren.

His turn as Paterson is a return to his roots, putting in an understated performance where just the smallest tremors in his face can express a million feelings. He plays the bus driver and poet with sensitivity, and in narrating Paterson’s poems, his deep voice pronounces each line with lyrical beauty. It’s not hard to see why his status has rocketed, or why he’s getting praise for this fantastic performance.

Jarmusch’s Paterson is a gentle treat away from those films that allow you to vacate your brain for 90 minutes. Instead, it engages you gently and allows for interpretations and understandings that will be different for every viewer. Enjoy the adorable canine actor and the healthy dose of humour: stay for the fantastic leading performances and the thoughtful script.