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Jim Jarmusch

Jim Jarmusch

Director, actor, writer, producer, composer, cinematographer and editor · Born January 22, 1953 (73) · Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, USA

5 Cannes awards · Venice award winner · Sundance award winner · 1 other major award body

James Robert "Jim" Jarmusch (born January 22, 1953 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) is an American writer-director and musician. Jarmusch has been a major figure in American independent cinema since the 1980s. He is best known for his work on "Dead Man" (1995), "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" (1999), "Broken Flowers" (2005), and "Only Lovers Left Alive" (2013).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 22, 1953 (73)
From
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, USA
Works as
Director, actor, writer, producer, composer, cinematographer and editor
Titles
39 on MovieCove · 68 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 23% in 30 days

What are Jim Jarmusch's films like?

Across their 35 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Genres

Comedy13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
26%
Self
25%
Bonds
20%
Ideas
19%
Morality
4%
Survival
3%
Power
2%
Identity10 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt12 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation8 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 35 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 22 · Serious 7 · Dark 6

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 14 · Stylized 15 · Heightened 6

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 21 · Charged 14 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 26 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 16 · Funny 5

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 32 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 2

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 15 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 10

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
25
Warm
16
Melancholic
14
Bittersweet
11
Absurd
12
Other
21

How their films linger

Bittersweet16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous11
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jim Jarmusch's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 39 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jim Jarmusch's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

68 credits, 39 with a MovieCove page; 42 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Nova 78'(2025)

    Sound

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Father Mother Sister Brother(2025)

    Director · Composer · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Fathom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Composer

  • A Short Film by Jim Jarmusch, Starring Beatrice Domond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Adios (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Return to Reason: Four Films by Man Ray(2023)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Pre-Prom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Composer

  • SQÜRL, Man Ray's Backing Band (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Executive Producer · as Member of SQÜRL

  • The Dead Don't Die(2019)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • What We Do in the Shadows(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Jarmusch

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Robby Müller: Living the Light(2018)

    Composer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Porto(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Uncle Howard(2016)

    Executive Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Paterson(2016)

    Director · Composer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Gimme Danger(2016)

    Director · Writer · as Self (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Only Lovers Left Alive(2013)

    Director · Musician · Writer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Limits of Control(2009)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Explicit Ills(2008)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Broken Flowers(2005)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Coffee and Cigarettes(2003)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Int. Trailer. Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet(2002)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Ghost Dog: The Odyssey: The Journey Into the Life of a Samurai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • Some Days in January, 1984 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai(1999)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • SpongeBob SquarePants(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Fisherman

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • V.I.P. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Jarmusch

  • Year of the Horse(1997)

    Director · Cinematographer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Coffee and Cigarettes III (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Writer

  • R.I.P. Rest in Pieces: A Portrait of Joe Coleman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Actor

  • Sling Blade(1996)

    as Frostee Cream Boy

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Dead Man(1995)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Blue in the Face(1995)

    as Bob

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Iron Horsemen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Silver Rider

  • Space Ghost Coast to Coast(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • When Pigs Fly(1993)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Strummer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • In the Soup(1992)

    as Monty

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • BAD I+II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Night on Earth(1991)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Golden Boat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Stranger

  • Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Jarmusch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Mystery Train(1989)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Leningrad Cowboys Go America(1989)

    as Car Dealer | New York

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Coffee and Cigarettes II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Writer

  • Talking Heads: Storytelling Giant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Thanks

  • Candy Mountain(1987)

    as (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Helsinki Napoli All Night Long(1987)

    as Barkeeper #2

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Straight to Hell(1987)

    as Amos Dade

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Coffee and Cigarettes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Writer

  • Down by Law(1986)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Sleepwalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Camera Operator

  • The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • Stranger Than Paradise(1984)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Kino '84: The Making of Jim Jarmusch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Interviewee

  • Burroughs: The Movie(1983)

    Sound Recordist

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • American Autobahn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Movie Producer

  • Stranger Than Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • Vortex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Voice Over

  • The State of Things(1982)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • You Are Not I(1981)

    Cinematographer · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Permanent Vacation(1980)

    Director · Composer · Editor · Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Only You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Actor

  • Underground U.S.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Sound Recordist

  • Garden of Ashes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Sheep & Wolf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 68 titles, 66 of them dated from 1980 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Broken Flowers (2005)

$47M worldwide

Highest rated

Night on Earth (1991)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Broken Flowers (2005)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting25 of 68: 24 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score84thDirecting27 of 68: 5 only directing, 22 with another role · typical Midcredits score88thWriting21 of 68: 0 only writing, 21 with another role · typical Midcredits score89thProducing11 of 68: 5 only producing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thMusic8 of 68: 5 only music, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score79thCinematography3 of 68: 0 only cinematography, 3 with another roleEditing3 of 68: 0 only editing, 3 with another roleOther crew6 of 68: 5 only other crew, 1 with another role

68 titles, 24 with more than one role.

By decade

1980s24 · 10 acting · 14 crew1990s18 · 10 acting · 8 crew2000s8 · 2 acting · 6 crew2010s8 · 1 acting · 7 crew2020s8 · 2 acting · 7 crew

Billing

usually 17th · top billed in 0% of 5 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

Awards

7 major awards from 24 major nominations, 1984–2025.

WinNomination
  1. 2025
    • Venice award, won · Best Film
  2. 2019
    • Cannes award, nominated
  3. 2016
    • Cannes award, nominated ×2
  4. 2015
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
  5. 2013
    • Cannes award, nominated
  6. 2008
    • Cannes award, won
  7. 2005
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
  8. 2002
    • Cannes award, nominated
Show 11 earlier years
  1. 2001
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Feature
  2. 1999
    • Cannes award, nominated
  3. 1997
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
  4. 1995
    • Cannes award, nominated
  5. 1993
    • Cannes award, won
  6. 1990
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
  7. 1989
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
  8. 1987
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
  9. 1986
    • Cannes award, nominated
  10. 1985
    • Sundance award, won · Dramatic
    • Sundance award, nominated · Dramatic
  11. 1984
    • Cannes award, won

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Jim Jarmusch's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 80th percentile, the median of all 35; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 81st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 39 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 39 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved10
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · producer

Explicit Ills (2008)

68th percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Sling Blade (1996)

Midcredits 98th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 77/100 and the pacing 40/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jim Jarmusch's work okay for kids?

Across up to 13 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films and violence & gore lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore10 titles6–79 · median 32 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity13 titles8–57 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles44–78 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles31–59 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles11–50 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jim Jarmusch work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jim Jarmusch's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jay Rabinowitz shares the most, 11.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles