In Memphis, Tennessee, over the course of a single night, the Arcade Hotel, run by an eccentric night clerk and a clueless bellboy, is visited by a young Japanese couple traveling in search of the roots of rock; an Italian woman in mourning who stumbles upon a fleeing charlatan girl; and a comical trio of accidental thieves looking for a place to hide.
The three-part structure of Mystery Train is still a bit shambling and slight, but there's an undeniable air of deadpan cool that permeates the film and gives it a haunting sense of place.
– Chris Nashawaty,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Jun 2010
fresh:
Happily, Jarmusch's formal inventiveness is framed by a rare flair for zany entertainment ...
– Geoff Andrew,
Time Out,
24 Jun 2006
fresh:
It's the best thing Mr. Jarmusch has done to date.
– Vincent Canby,
New York Times,
30 Aug 2004
rotten:
If there is a rationale for what takes place on-screen, it's not evident. Things happen, and nothing means anything.
– Hal Hinson,
Washington Post,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
The best thing about "Mystery Train" is that it takes you to an America you feel you ought to be able to find for yourself, if you only knew where to look.