The thing is, this is a slow moving portrait of an ordinary man and his wife and dog in a somewhat rundown, industrial city in New Jersey. There's not much excitement here as not much happens in the week we're with them, but the three principals are exquisitely suited to worm their way into your mind in such a way that they'll seem like close friends after it's all over. That's quite a trick.
Paterson's a city bus driver, his wife, Laura, is an accomplished goofball, and their dog, Marvin, is an English bulldog with a sense of humor. Almost the entire plot has to do with Paterson's love of poetry, but I was rather taken with his wife's charming personality. It's almost a perfect match with Paterson's positive, live and let live, attitude. Together you wonder whether such people might live for real, all across the country.
It might all amount to a pleasant but not very impressive night at the movies. Ordinarily, I'd agree, but why then do I smile whenever I think of the principals? Clearly there's been something magical at work.
Paterson's a city bus driver, his wife, Laura, is an accomplished goofball, and their dog, Marvin, is an English bulldog with a sense of humor. Almost the entire plot has to do with Paterson's love of poetry, but I was rather taken with his wife's charming personality. It's almost a perfect match with Paterson's positive, live and let live, attitude. Together you wonder whether such people might live for real, all across the country.
It might all amount to a pleasant but not very impressive night at the movies. Ordinarily, I'd agree, but why then do I smile whenever I think of the principals? Clearly there's been something magical at work.