Revisiting a 'broken' life

Jim Jarmusch, the writer/director of such indie darlings as "Stranger Than Paradise," "Down By Law" and "Dead Man," tries his hand at quirky self-exploration in "Broken Flowers" with intriguing results. Bill Murray ("Lost in Translation," "Caddyshack") stars as Don Johnston, a fifty-something former Casanova who was once rich in women and technology money, but now faces a lonely existence in his cold, modern abode. One random day he receives an anonymous letter from an old flame telling him he has a 19-year-old son who is now looking for him. This news sparks his Ethiopian amateur sleuth neighbor (Jeffrey Wright) to assist Don in seeking out all five women he dated approximately 20 years ago.\nDon's search to find his son's mother before his son finds him becomes a cross country jaunt through blue-collar towns, white-collar neighborhoods and everything in between. Possible maternal candidates include NASCAR driver widow Laura (Sharon Stone), animal communicator Carmen (Jessica Lange), disenchanted manufactured house salesperson Dora (Frances Conroy) and feisty trailer bait Penny (Tilda Swinton). Don's other girlfriend from the time, Michelle, has since met her fate.\nMurray has brought a unique humanity to nearly every role he's tackled since Herman Blume in "Rushmore." Murray's performances as Steve Zissou, Bob Harris, Raleigh St. Clair and even his take on Hamlet's Polonius have all been note-perfect, and 'Flowers'' Don Johnston is a welcome addition to the Murray canon. It's the type of career path Adam Sandler sadly failed to follow post-"Punch-Drunk Love," but while Sandler obviously needed coaching to achieve his excellent turn under Paul Thomas Anderson's direction, Murray feels right at home with challenging roles in more artistic films. No comic actor these days is more effective at conveying resigned vexation in the most strenuous of circumstances and fascinating us in the process.\nExtras are slim on this disc, but what's there is notable. Jarmusch explains his philosophy on filmmaking over a series of shot set-ups, a few extended scenes come and go, but an extended reel of Murray cracking up everyone on set with his between-takes antics is a candid look into the mind of a comedic force of nature, who's career choices in the last seven years have elevated him from lovable goofball to iconic elder statesman.\nOriginally titled "Dead Flowers" after the Rolling Stones' classic country romp, "Broken Flowers" is a somber, comically touching tale of one man hesitantly revisiting his libido-driven past in order to move on from his stagnant present. Jarmusch's delicate direction and poignant screenplay, along with another standout performance from Bill Murray, make 'Flowers' a genuinely affecting road-trip fable.