Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
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Two centuries-old vampires navigate the complexities of modern existence while seeking to reconnect with one another.
The story
Married for centuries and living in different parts of the world, two vampires, Adam and Eve, navigate the challenges of the 21st century. Adam, a reclusive musician living in a Detroit mansion, struggles with suicidal thoughts and a disdain for the modern world. Eve, living in Tangier, decides to travel to Detroit to comfort him. The two must contend with the dangers of their existence, including the need for high-quality blood and the risk of human exposure, as they attempt to maintain their romantic bond in a world they find increasingly corrupt.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Adam, a withdrawn and suicidal vampire musician in Detroit, lives in a mansion powered by Tesla-inspired technology and collects vintage instruments. He avoids human contact, referring to them as 'zombies,' and procures blood from a local bank. Eve, living in Tangier, travels to Detroit to comfort him after learning of his despondency. They spend nights cruising Detroit's streets, listening to music and playing chess. Their peace is disrupted by Eve's younger sister, Ava, who consumes their blood supply and leads them to a club where Adam's music is played. During the outing, Ava accidentally kills a young fan named Ian by drinking too much of his blood. Adam expels Ava, and the couple disposes of Ian's body in an acid pool. They flee back to Tangier, where they visit their old friend Christopher Marlowe, who reveals he was the true author of Shakespeare's plays before dying from contaminated blood. Finally, the couple returns to the streets with their last flask of blood, where they witness a young couple and approach them with their fangs out.
- First release year
- 2013
- Runtime (minutes)
- 123
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; Germany
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jim Jarmusch
- Writers
- Jim Jarmusch · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tilda Swinton · Eve; Tom Hiddleston · Adam; Mia Wasikowska · Ava; Anton Yelchin · Ian; Jeffrey Wright · Dr. Watson; Slimane Dazi · Bilal; John Hurt · Christopher Marlowe; Yasmine Hamdan · Yasmine
- Genres
- Gothic fantasy drama; fantasy; horror; romantic comedy-drama
- Themes
- Loneliness; Artistic legacy; Modernity vs. Tradition; Romance
- Tone and mood
- Languid; Droll; Melancholy; Poetic
- Premise and plot tags
- Vampire Romance; Gothic Fantasy; Independent Film
- Source material / true-story basis
- Only Lovers Left Alive by Dave Wallis (1964)
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, being praised for its poetic visuals, droll humor, and languid atmosphere. It was ranked among the BBC's 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century and named one of the greatest films of the 2010s by The Hollywood Reporter.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 79 · scale: 100 · review count: 41
- Production trivia
- The names Adam and Eve were originally inspired by Mark Twain's 'The Diaries of Adam and Eve'.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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