After some ecclectique and challenging debut such as Stranger than Paradise or Down by Law, Jim Jarmusch his back to the colour picture with this contemporary urban samurai movie. At first, it could seem pretty weird to see Forrest Whitaker as a samurai, fast and almost floating over the ground. But it works! And it works pretty well!

The story is the one of Ghost Dog, a lonely contract killer working for the mafia who, after one mistake, is being chase by this organisation. Living the way that the Samurai Code is telling him, he will have to protect himself as well as respect his principles.

The story main point is about loneliness. The loneliness of Ghost Dog, the loneliss of Raymond… The camera of Jim Jarmusch, as usual, is perfectly fitting with the mood with slow movement and focussing on the caracter instead of the plot.

The movie is also a big tribute to Le Samourai of Jean-Pierre Melville. Apart from the title and the loneliness mood, the reference are here : lonely contract killer being chase, white glove for the killer, importance of the bird, reference to the bushido, the environnement…. What is amazing is date Jarmusch didn’t make a remake at all, but simply adapt the story to another context, another city, another situation.

It is impossible no to talk of the amazing soundtrack made by RZA. Like the one that Neil Young made for Dead Man, it is just perfect. It fits the movie from the begenning to end, always present when it needs to and subtile at other time.

The performance are simply stunning. From the physical presence of Whitaker to the funny de Bankole and Mafia chiefs, Jarmusch is directing his actors with a master hands. Even if this one isn’t generally quote as «one of Jarmusch’s best film» like Stranger than Paradise or Dead Man, I think that it could easily stand up there as of one of the most beautiful and inspiring movie of the 90s.