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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

867 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

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Details

Director: Jim Jarmusch
Language: English

Cast

Tom Waits, John Lurie, Roberto Benigni

⬡Explore cast & crew→

Where to Watch Down by Law

Checked 4 days ago

2 streaming · 2 rent/buy

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Max

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$6.99Rent

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How Down by Law Ranks

All movies

Top 16%

1980s movies

Top 17%

Crime movies

Top 13%

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