---
title: "Paterson"
year: 2016
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/paterson"
fi1m_id: "paterson"
imdb_id: "tt5247022"
tmdb_id: 370755
wikidata_id: "Q23817035"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 84
critics_reviews: 25
published: "2026-09-16"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:03.018485+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Paterson (2016)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch · 1h 58m · MPA R · Drama, Comedy, Romance

## Identity

Paterson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/paterson
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** paterson
- **IMDb ID:** tt5247022
- **TMDB ID:** 370755
- **Wikidata ID:** Q23817035
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5247022/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/370755, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23817035

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 84 from 25 reviews

*In a sentence:* A bus driver writes poems, and for once cinema doesn’t demand he hand in his notice

> Jim Jarmusch makes a bus driver’s working week absorbing, funny and unexpectedly comforting. Adam Driver gives the quiet stretches plenty to watch, though Laura deserves more than the affectionate sketch Golshifteh Farahani is asked to fill out.

## Synopsis

In Paterson, New Jersey, Paterson (Adam Driver) drives a bus and writes poetry, finding material in the details of his daily life. At home is his wife, Laura (Golshifteh Farahani); Donny (Rizwan Manji) is another familiar presence in his routine. Paterson wants to keep writing while carrying on with his job and marriage, so his poems take shape around work, conversations and time at home. His words appear on screen as he reads them aloud. Across a week, the same activities recur, with small changes giving him something new to notice.

## Review

*Paterson* is absorbing, quietly funny and worth an unhurried evening. Jim Jarmusch, who writes and directs, follows a bus driver who writes poems through a week in Paterson, New Jersey. Work, marriage and writing each deserve the man’s attention, and the film takes all three seriously. Anyone waiting for the job to become unbearable, or the poetry to become a ticket out, will need to adjust to a story interested in why he might be content.

Adam Driver makes listening an activity worth watching. His Paterson seems to be taking things in even when there is little for him to say, and his concentration never becomes a display of sensitivity. The poems let us hear some of what occupies him, but the performance leaves room for reserve and humour. We believe that this man can drive a bus, enjoy his marriage and write without regarding the first two as obstacles to the third.

The verses appear on screen as Paterson reads them aloud, giving the words time to be read as well as heard. We felt ourselves relax during these passages, because the film allowed us to follow a thought without hurrying towards the next incident. Editor Affonso Gonçalves keeps the returning routines from feeling like a recap: there is time to recognise the familiar activity and notice a small difference. The pace asks for attention, but the repetitions give us enough to attend to.

Frederick Elmes gives the daily surroundings a sunny warmth that suits Paterson’s pleasure in them. The photography keeps familiar places inviting through repeated visits, without needing a dramatic change of light to renew our interest. Mark Friedberg’s production design makes the domestic world feel worth returning to, with a homespun character that belongs to this couple. The music by Carter Logan and Jim Jarmusch fits the unhurried pace without making the poetry feel like a recital demanding hushed respect.

Golshifteh Farahani has a harder assignment as Laura. Her warmth makes the couple’s happiness persuasive, but the writing gives us less reason to linger over her thoughts than over his. That imbalance matters in a film asking us to take an interest in the people around its hero. We wanted a little more time with Laura on her own terms, rather than another reason to admire how gently Paterson moves through his life.

There is also a little too much satisfaction in the film’s own quaintness. Some of the verse is slight, and the attention paid to it can make an ordinary observation feel overvalued. The reaction shots of the dog are another small pleasure that gets more encouragement than it needs. These are modest complaints about a film that avoids a familiar weakness of stories about artists: treating paid employment as an inconvenience to be overcome before the interesting work can begin.

At 118 minutes, this needs a willingness to stay with small variations in familiar days. We would not choose it for an evening when we wanted brisk plotting; the pleasure lies in having time to notice what occupies this man. Give it enough quiet to hear the words and watch Adam Driver listening. There is no need to arrive with an interest in poetry; a little curiosity about other people’s days will do.

*Fi1m score 84, published 16 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics warmly recommend Paterson, with praise centred on Adam Driver’s restrained performance and Jim Jarmusch’s patient attention to daily life. The reviews repeatedly find humour, tenderness and creative purpose in the bus driver’s routines, admiring how the repeating structure allows small changes to matter. Driver’s watchfulness gives the quiet scenes weight, while the measured pacing, photography and use of poetry draw praise for bringing his inner life onto the screen without requiring much conventional plot.

The differences are chiefly in enthusiasm, with reservations about whimsy and characterisation rather than widespread dissatisfaction. Evening Standard finds some poems dull and the sweetness occasionally cloying, while Film Comment questions the characterisation of Laura. The Hollywood Reporter is more reserved, describing modest pleasures aimed at Jarmusch admirers and noting the attention given to the dog’s reactions; most critics find considerably more substance in the same uneventful approach.

## Straight answers

**Is Paterson worth watching?**

*Paterson* is worth watching for anyone happy to spend an unhurried evening with a bus driver's working week, and we scored it 84. Adam Driver makes listening worth watching, and the film takes his job and marriage as seriously as his poems. Anyone wanting brisk plotting should look elsewhere.

**How long is Paterson, and what is it rated?**

*Paterson* runs 1h 58m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Paterson in the US?**

*Paterson* is not on any streaming or rental service in the US at the moment. It is available in 16 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Paterson, and is it suitable for children?**

*Paterson* is a 15 certificate in the UK and R in the US, but it contains no violence or frightening material that our review found worth noting. It is a quiet film about a bus driver writing poems, and the certificate suggests adult language rather than anything alarming. Young children would simply be bored by it.

**How does Paterson compare to Perfect Days?**

*Paterson* and [*Perfect Days*](https://film.one/film/perfect-days) both follow a working man through a week of repeated days, and both reward close attention to small variations. Jarmusch's film has more domestic comedy and a marriage at its centre, while Wenders' Tokyo toilet cleaner is more solitary and almost wordless. Each is a little too fond of its hero's calm; choose by whether you want company or quiet.

**What should I watch after Paterson?**

After *Paterson*, try [*Perfect Days*](https://film.one/film/perfect-days) (2023, Fi1m 83): Another working routine rewards close attention, with more solitude and less domestic comedy. Then [*The Lunchbox*](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox) (2013, Fi1m 75): Daily work and private longing meet through a misdirected lunch delivery; and [*Local Hero*](https://film.one/film/local-hero) (1983, Fi1m 86): Work takes second place as an outsider learns to notice where he is.

### Reviews we read (30)

- **Little White Lies**, Sophie Monks Kaufman (5/5/5): Jarmusch crafts an immaculate, perfectly paced film that finds sublime meaning amid routine, with Driver’s performance cementing his status as an actor who makes the smallest actions magnetic. The critic praises the measured pacing, silences, and the way the film evokes poetry through observation and relationships. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/paterson)
- **The i Paper**, Matthew Turner (★★★★★): The critic calls it possibly the best film of the year, praising its calm pace and charming, quietly melancholy world. Driver and Farahani deliver wonderful, soulful performances that highlight the characters' decency and love. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/paterson-review-33278)
- **The Telegraph**, Tim Robey (5/5): The film is special and will be treasured for its calm wisdom, attentive observation of daily life and coincidences in a quiet New Jersey town. The critic singles out Adam Driver's mellow charisma and the precise, mantra-like structure for praise. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/05/16/paterson-review-adam-drivers-performance-will-be-treasured-for-y/)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★★): Jarmusch delivers a perfect, thrilling rumination on poetry, creativity and finding meaning in simple acts through the story of a bus-driving poet. The critic singles out the mimetic aspects of poetry and the film's lack of conventional plot as strengths. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/film-review-paterson-fhl2j6l6q)
- **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (A): The critic praises the film as a sublimely mellow comedy about everyday life that respects both the ordinariness and artistry of its blue-collar hero. It highlights the lead performance and the way the film aligns the audience with the protagonist's observant perspective. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/adam-driver-mellows-out-in-jim-jarmusch-s-beautiful-ode-1798190040)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): Jarmusch's film is a gentle, unironic delight celebrating simple everyday goodness and a happy marriage through the life of a poetic bus driver. The critic singles out Adam Driver's open, beguiling performance for praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/nov/24/paterson-review-adam-driver-jim-jarmusch)
- **Sight and Sound**, Henry K. Miller (85/100, inferred): Jarmusch’s Paterson is a quietly utopian film and a balm to watch, a wistful paean to analogue values and homespun identities. The critic singles out its unhurried pacing and the way everyday routine and the city itself are invested with poetry. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-paterson-jim-jarmuschs-retro-idyll)
- **Slant Magazine**, Jake Cole (85/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's sunny aesthetic as a departure for Jarmusch and praises its depiction of routine as a source of contentment rather than drudgery. It singles out the relatable protagonist and the honest, observational poetry for enlivening an already happy existence. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/paterson/)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (85/100, inferred): Jarmusch conjures an entire world of his own imagination in this film about a poet and his poems. It singles out the movie’s construction in seven episodic stanzas that echo and vary daily routines while filling the screen with poetry. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/jim-jarmuschs-paterson-and-the-myth-of-the-solitary-artist)
- **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (80/100, inferred): The critic describes it as a profoundly understated character study stuffed with charm and humour but devoid of major incident. Driver's still, deep performance is singled out as one of his best, making the film one of Jarmusch’s finest. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/paterson-review/)
- **Film Comment**, Jonathan Romney (80/100, inferred): The critic describes it as a deeply felt, goofily conceptual hymn to the democratic nature of poetry and the richness of ordinary life. He praises its beautiful cinematography and contemplative style while noting reservations about the characterization of Laura. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/film-week-paterson/)
- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (80/100, inferred): The review calls it Jarmusch's most intimate film, highlighting its quiet focus on the protagonist's inner world and daily routines. It praises the understated performances and the director's personal touch. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/cannes-review-adam-driver-stars-in-jim-jarmuschs-paterson-his-most-intimate-film-290526/)
- **Radio Times**, Emma Simmonds (4/5): Jarmusch is at his most refined, carefully chronicling the humble exploits of one of life’s observers in a beautifully photographed, contemplative stroll. The critic praises the film’s soothing quality, Driver’s superb performance, and the insight into the protagonist’s remarkable interior life through his verse. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-5vlfzw/paterson/)
- **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): Jarmusch delivers a deceptively modest character piece that is profound and moving while remaining grounded in the everyday. The critic singles out Driver’s graceful performance and the film’s precise portrait of ordinary life, love, compromise and the oddities of being alive. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/paterson-cannes-review/5104000.article)
- **Time Out**, Geoff Andrew (4/5): Jarmusch returns with a lovely, episodic fable about the relationship between creativity and everyday life. The critic singles out the wry script, becalmed direction, glowing photography, and winning performances, especially Driver’s watchful and pensive portrayal. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/paterson)
- **Vulture** (75/100, inferred): The review notes that the film evocatively captures the inner world of an artist through daily rituals and observations, though it occasionally flirts with twee elements. It singles out the poems and Driver's performance for making the story feel hard and beautiful. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2016/12/movie-review-paterson.html)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (70/100, inferred): The review highlights how the mellow drama offers a new perspective on time through an unassuming bus driver's life, with fantastic acting from Driver. It notes some poems are dull and the whimsy can be cloying but overall finds the balance between boredom and bliss compelling. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/paterson-film-review-here-s-the-way-to-balance-boredom-and-bliss-a3404936.html)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (60/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a mild-mannered, undramatic ode to ordinary domestic life and the value of poetry. It offers discreet pleasures to fans of Jarmusch but features more reaction shots of a dog than expected. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/paterson-cannes-review-894268/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang: The serene and beguiling film unfolds as a series of deadpan verbal jokes and reveals itself as its own poem. It singles out Adam Driver’s soulful performance as the bus driver refining his craft from everyday impressions. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-paterson-review-20161220-story.html)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (NYT Critic’s Pick): The film is a wonderful, deceptively simple dispatch from Jarmusch-land about art, creation, and the meditative flow of everyday routine into poetry. It singles out the way poems appear on screen as they are read aloud by the bus-driver protagonist. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/movies/paterson-review.html)
- **Variety**: The self-conscious anachronism is a nostalgic story of an ordinary working man who is secretly a poet. It singles out the film’s divergence from contemporary tempo and its embrace of the sublime banality of day-to-day existence. [Read](https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/cannes-film-review-adam-driver-paterson-1201775386/)
- **The Wrap**, Ben Croll (85/100, inferred): Jarmusch has made a wonderful, simple film that is a perfect version of itself, an ode to small pleasures and the simple life. The critic singles out the film's cyclical structure and focus on the practical and homespun as its strengths. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/paterson-cannes-review-jim-jarmusch-adam-driver/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (80/100, inferred): Jarmusch delivers a simple and quiet film about a bus driver and poet whose life unfolds over one week in New Jersey, settling into an appreciative rhythm that highlights small tensions and the secret of love. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/paterson-2016-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)
- **/Film**, Angie Han (8.0/10): Jarmusch captures the rhythms of everyday existence and miniature wonders in this idiosyncratic film, with Adam Driver perfectly cast as the subdued yet intense bus driver and poet who makes the world seem a little brighter. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/546828/paterson-review/)
- **Paste**, Kenji Fujishima (80/100, inferred): The critic sees Paterson as Jarmusch’s most focused philosophical statement, presenting a gentle, repetitively structured chronicle of an ordinary man’s week in which art fills the soul and adds color to everyday existence. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/jim-jarmusch/pattern-recognition-jim-jarmusch-paterson-and-the)
- **The Skinny**, Patrick Gamble (★★★★): The critic appreciates how the film transposes the monotony of working-class life into art through its cyclical rhythms. He notes Jarmusch's mastery of conversation and subtle allusions to harsher realities. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/paterson)
- **HeyUGuys**, Jo-Ann Titmarsh (75/100, inferred): The film is an ode to poetry and the rhythms of everyday life in Paterson, New Jersey, with Adam Driver delivering a modest and delightful performance as the poetry-writing bus driver. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/paterson-review/)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (75/100, inferred): The critic describes Paterson as a minor-key drama and tribute to poetry and the ordinary, praising its minimalist episodic structure and Jarmusch’s affectionate showcase of the protagonist’s routine and creative process. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2016/12/26/movies/jim-jarmusch-paterson-gimme-danger-25289b7185df)
- **Den of Geek**, Edward Douglas (4 out of 5): The critic praises it as one of Jarmusch’s funniest and most accessible films. He highlights Adam Driver's perfect performance as the relatable bus driver/poet and the film's exploration of daily routine and life going on. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/paterson-review/)
- **The Playlist**, Jessica Kiang (B+/A-): Paterson is a charming miniaturist film that finds beauty and inspiration in the mundane routines and small deviations of daily life, centered on a perfectly modulated performance by Adam Driver and an aspirational couple. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/cannes-review-jim-jarmuschs-paterson-starring-adam-driver-pure-poetry-20160515/)

## Details

- **Director:** Jim Jarmusch
- **Director:** Jim Jarmusch
- **Writer:** Jim Jarmusch
- **Cinematography:** Frederick Elmes
- **Editor:** Affonso Gonçalves
- **Music:** Jim Jarmusch, Carter Logan
- **Production design:** Mark Friedberg
- **Costume design:** Catherine George
- **Producer:** Joshua Astrachan, Carter Logan
- **Cast:** Adam Driver as Paterson; Golshifteh Farahani as Laura; Rizwan Manji as Donny; Barry Shabaka Henley as Doc; William Jackson Harper as Everett; Chasten Harmon as Marie; Method Man as Method Man; Dominic Liriano as Boy on Bus 1
- **Runtime:** 1h 58m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 28 December 2016
- **Genres:** Drama, Comedy, Romance
- **Budget:** $5 million
- **Box office:** $2 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8_L9kqie7s

## Where to watch in the US

Not streaming, renting or buying in the US at the last check.

Also available in: AT, AU, CA, CH, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IT, JP, NO, NZ, SE. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Perfect Days* (2023), Fi1m 83: Another working routine rewards close attention, with more solitude and less domestic comedy. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/perfect-days.md)
- *The Lunchbox* (2013), Fi1m 75: Daily work and private longing meet through a misdirected lunch delivery. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox.md)
- *Good Morning* (1959): Small domestic disputes become patient comedy about neighbours, habits and what goes unsaid.
- *Local Hero* (1983), Fi1m 86: Work takes second place as an outsider learns to notice where he is. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md)
- *The Gleaners and I* (2000), Fi1m 85: A curious, companionable documentary that finds invention in things other people discard. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-gleaners-and-i.md)

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/paterson