Broken Flowers: A-

It's a wonder that Bill Murray can't find a continual stream of nearly extraordinary work for the rest of his life. These last 10 years or so have been an almost incessant stream of both indelible characters and revelatory performances. From Wes Anderson's highly original The Royal Tenenbaums to Sophia Coppola's beautiful, solemn, romantic fable Lost In Translation, Bill Murray has affirmed his place among cinema's most powerful performers. Here, again, he amazes in Jim Jarmusch's story of an "over the hill" Don Juan named Don Johnston (Bill Murray).

As the movie opens, Don's girlfriend (Julie Delpie) is leaving him. At first he seems as though he may be dismayed and then suddenly you realize that he's probably just tired. After she leaves he finds an unsigned letter saying that he has a 19-year old son by an old flame. After consulting his munificent friend Winston (Jeffrey Wright), he sets off on a cross-country road trip to re-meet the four women that could have possibly fathered Don Johnston Jr.

First there is Laura (Sharon Stone), a vibrant and vibrantly sexy woman who probably only vaguely aknowledges the significance behind her daughter's name: Lolita. Next comes Dora (Frances Conroy), she of the anti-septic McMansion who sells "re-furbished pre-fabs" and has a husband who smiles alot. And by alot I mean "more than any other person on Earth". After her proceeds Carmen (Jessica Lange) who was once a lawyer and is now a pet communicator. Finally there is Penny (Tilda Swinton), a woman who's affection for Don is buried (if even it ever existed) under a mountain of unrestrained hate.

The beauty of Broken Flowers is perhaps in its emotional generousity. The further that Don moves back into his past, the more in love he becomes with the women he meets and the more unavailable they become. And indeed when all four women are imbodied by the natural sexiness and exceptional talent of Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy, and Tilda Swinton it's easy to see why. Bill Murray himself mixes his razor sarcasm and mastery of body language into a pitch-perfect performance. Though writer-director Jim Jarmusch's hipper-than-thou beat is alittle too cool for me this movie warmed my heart and entranced my mind. Perhaps Don didn't find himself, but he started looking.