“One of the year’s most lovely, gentle films.”

When we think of the canon of important voices in American independent film, Jim Jarmusch is one of the most notable names. He bridged the gap from the final stages of New Hollywood to the budding origins of the independent movement that he helped define, almost to the point where he’s viewed as a patron saint of small, intimate productions that reject the mainstream wherever possible. His directorial output over the last decade has sadly become quite slow, with only three productions in the last ten years, which means that we cherish every new opportunity to see the world through his distinctly sardonic, unwaveringly strange perspective. This is where we find a lot of value in Father Mother Sister Brother, an anthology film in which Jarmusch – as suggested by the title – tells three stories, each one revolving around different family members as they meet for what they hope will be just pleasant encounters, but which turn into something much deeper as they confront unresolved tensions and address issues that might have been better left unspoken. A simple premise rendered in an even more direct way than we’d expect, Father Mother Sister Brother is another strong offering from Jarmusch, even if he’s retreading familiar territory throughout.

Family is one of the more universal subjects, since it’s instantly recognisable as a theme and can usually resonate with a large portion of the audience. Jarmusch has always been focused on having a strong grasp on the culture and how it functions, and he’s certainly never avoided building films around familiar concepts. Father Mother Sister Brother is a film constructed entirely around exploring the different configurations of families, telling three separate stories that are only marginally related. The first finds a pair of siblings visiting their down-on-his-luck father in rural New Jersey, hoping to give him some company. The second revolves around an annual tea party between a persnickety mother in Dublin and her two daughters, one a socially awkward intellectual, the other a free-spirited rebel. The third follows siblings as they visit the Paris apartment of their deceased parents, clearing it out of the belongings and memories that are inextricably tied to this place. Each of the vignettes is formed around examining the dynamic between these individuals as they share the same space with people whom they perhaps know better than anyone else, but with whom they struggle to connect on a deeper level, primarily because they’re not willing to address the unresolved issues that forced them apart in the first place.

Despite being about difficult conversations, such as loneliness, marital strife, sibling rivalry and grief, Father Mother Sister Brother is a surprisingly light, heartwarming work. It’s not an elaborate affair, and it finds Jarmusch working in perhaps his most minimalistic form yet (at least since his earliest works), but it does build itself around some clear emotional concepts that may not be revolutionary on their own, but nonetheless have enough merit to draw the viewer in. It also allows Jarmusch to play on one of his favourite themes, albeit not always appreciated by those who aren’t able to leap onto his wavelength: awkwardness and discomfort. The entire film is essentially a series of conversations, taking place in cars, around tables or gathered on couches, which serve as the stage for these lovably uncomfortable interactions. The dialogue is fantastic, but what leaves more of a mark are the silences in between the pleasantries – the tense moments in which a character realises that they slightly misspoke, or where they are holding in a thought that they know will either increase the awkwardness, or cause an even higher level of discomfort. The audience is made to feel as self-conscious and uneasy as the characters, whose lives we peer into almost as voyeurs, watching these offbeat interactions from a distance.

After four decades in the industry, Jarmusch has certainly made quite a few friends, and he enlists several of them to play the central roles in Father Mother Sister Brother, which is assembled from actors we never could have imagined would appear in the same film. How often do we get to see a film in which Tom Waits, Charlotte Rampling, Adam Driver, Indya Moore, Vicky Krieps, Mayim Bialik, and Cate Blanchett are not only credited but drive the story forward with their simple, well-crafted performances? Everyone is equally good, particularly since these are not at all demanding characters, and they can all take a more subtle approach to their performances. The structure of three short films tied together by a few common themes means that Jarmusch and his cast don’t need to invest too much time and energy into crafting elaborate arcs for these characters – a few conversations punctuated by uncomfortable silences and offbeat attempts at humour are more than enough to hold our attention. It’s an ensemble effort in the truest sense of the word, without any standouts and where everyone is doing stellar work that doesn’t require too much from any of the cast, all of whom work together exceptionally well.

It has been over half a decade since Jarmusch last made a film, so we are naturally going to be drawn to whatever he does – and while it’s logical to expect another subversive, daring work that takes some wild swings, we can still appreciate when he is doing something more subtle and nuanced. Father Mother Sister Brother is certainly playing in a key similar to works like Stranger Than Paradise and Paterson, in that it’s small and intimate, focused more on dialogue and tone than innovation, and in this subdued approach we find it leaving quite an impression. This is certainly a very straightforward film, with the direction being as minimalist as it could be (and often plays like a stage production more than a film), and which will likely not appeal to those expecting a more exciting, complex work. However, this feels like the most fitting approach for something so sincerely intrigued by the human condition and its many peculiar qualities, which Jarmusch addresses beautifully throughout this film, working closely with a cast of excellent actors who help him develop these intriguing characters, and allowing Father Mother Sister Brother to flourish into one of the year’s most lovely, gentle films about a subject that takes on many forms, but is nonetheless extremely recognisable in any context.