Overview
Two laid-back men find themselves in a world of chaos and unexpected camaraderie behind bars.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- deadpan
- witty
- eccentric
- late night cinephile viewing
- rainy day
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a distinctive and finely crafted Jarmusch character piece, praised for its deadpan humor, visual composition, and eccentric ensemble chemistry rather than suspense or action.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film is shot in black and white and follows marginal criminals through stark urban and bayou environments.
Zack, Jack, and Roberto are forced into the same prison cell and rely on one another during their escape.
The escaped prisoners move through Louisiana toward uncertain freedom, with the film emphasizing wandering and fleeting relationships.
Roberto's limited English produces entertaining and frustrating exchanges with Zack and Jack.
Films like Down by Law, and why
Stranger Than Paradise
Shares deadpan humor, drifting fugitives, minimalist independent filmmaking, and offbeat male friendship.
Mystery Train
Shares Jarmusch's laconic pacing, black-and-white aesthetic, eccentric outsiders, and understated comedy.
Stir Crazy
Shares prison escape, odd-couple bonding, and comic road-movie energy shaped by distinctive character dynamics.
The American Friend
Shares black-and-white cinematography, poetic criminal outsiders, and a stylized, melancholic road-movie atmosphere.
Movie Details
- Director
- Jim Jarmusch
- Release Date
- 1986-09-20
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (878)
Cast
- Tom Waits
- John Lurie
- Roberto Benigni
- Nicoletta Braschi
- Ellen Barkin
- Billie Neal
- Rockets Redglare
- Vernel Bagneris
- Timothea
- L.C. Drane
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Down by Law about?
- Three mismatched outsiders turn a wrongful imprisonment and improvised escape into a droll, monochrome journey through Louisiana.
- What is Down by Law like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Down by Law as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Down by Law violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Down by Law as mild.
- What did critics think of Down by Law?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a distinctive and finely crafted Jarmusch character piece, praised for its deadpan humor, visual composition, and eccentric ensemble chemistry rather than suspense or action.
- Which films are like Down by Law?
- Films with a similar feel include Stranger Than Paradise, Mystery Train, Stir Crazy, and The American Friend.
- How long is Down by Law?
- Down by Law runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch Down by Law?
- In United States, Down by Law streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel, HBO Max.
