Movies Shows MoodMatch Explore Services New Pick for Me Games

Explore MoodMatch New Services

CriticCrunch

Movies Shows About How It Works Terms of Service Privacy Policy Contact

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Streaming availability data provided by Movie of the Night.

Down by Law (1986) | Ranked Top 16% · CriticCrunch

Down by Law backdrop

Down by Law

Movie1986·106 min

Down by Law

Directed by Jim Jarmusch

Crime Drama Comedy

A crime drama film directed by Jim Jarmusch.

◈ CrunchScore

Top 16%

of all movies · weighted by audience size & source agreement

★ TMDB Audience Rating

7.4/10

882 ratings

About Down by Law

A disc jockey, a pimp and an Italian tourist escape from jail in New Orleans.

Pacing: Slow-burn (1 of 9)
Tone: Bittersweet (4 of 9)
Intensity: Moderate (4 of 9)
Complexity: Approachable (4 of 9)
Humor: Funny (6 of 9)
Scale: Intimate (1 of 9)
Spirit: Heartfelt (7 of 9)
Texture: Gritty, Contemplative
Story Tags: freedom rebellion, isolation loneliness, sex work, new orleans, prison, wilderness, strangers forced together, outsider misfit, ensemble, escape chase, road journey, fish out of water

You might like Down by Law if you enjoyed…

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club

1985

Comedy · Drama

The Holdovers

The Holdovers

2023

Drama · Comedy

Good Morning, Vietnam

Good Morning, Vietnam

1987

Comedy · Drama

Stand by Me

Stand by Me

1986

Crime · Drama

The Apartment

The Apartment

1960

Comedy · Drama

More Like Down by Law

Matched by mood, pacing, and story

Stranger Than Paradise

Stranger Than Paradise

1984

slow burnbittersweetgrounded

Max

Black Dog

2024

slow burnbittersweetmoderate

Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures

Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures

2005

slow burnbittersweetapproachable

The Last Viking

The Last Viking

2025

bittersweetmoderateprominent

Elling

Elling

2001

road journeyfish out of waterfreedom rebellion

Drifting Clouds

Drifting Clouds

1996

bittersweetmoderateapproachable

Another Round

Another Round

2020

bittersweetmoderateprominent

Netflix

Ariel

Ariel

1988

slow burnbittersweetmoderate

Stagecoach

Stagecoach

1939

escape chaseroad journeyisolation loneliness

Max

A Bronx Tale

A Bronx Tale

1993

bittersweetmoderateapproachable

The Band's Visit

The Band's Visit

2007

road journeyfish out of waterisolation loneliness

I Vitelloni

I Vitelloni

1953

bittersweetmoderateapproachable

Max

Where to Watch Down by Law

Availability not yet checked for this title.

Details

Director: Jim Jarmusch
Language: English

Cast

Tom Waits, John Lurie, Roberto Benigni

⬡Explore cast & crew→

How Down by Law Ranks

All movies

Top 16%

1980s movies

Top 17%

Crime movies

Top 14%

1980s Crime movies

Top 12%

Jim Jarmusch films#4 of 16

Top 16% All movies.

the vibe

Down by Law Vibe

What it feels like

slow-burnbittersweetmoderateapproachablefunnyintimateheartfelt

gritty

contemplative

What it's about

escape chaseroad journeyfish out of waterfreedom rebellionisolation lonelinessoutsider misfitensemblestrangers forced togethersex workNew Orleansprisonwilderness

pacing

slow-burn 1/9slow-burn 1/9

tone

bittersweet 4/9wistful 4/9

intensity

moderate 4/9moderate 4/9

complexity

approachable 4/9clear 4/9

humor

funny 6/9funny 6/9

scale

intimate 1/9intimate 1/9

spirit

heartfelt 7/9heartfelt 7/9

texture

grittygritty