Down by Law (1986)

Down by Law is an offbeat crime-comedy-drama about three very different men who find themselves thrown together behind bars and then forced to rely on each other to survive. In New Orleans, laid‑back DJ Zack (Lee Baby Simms) and a smooth-talking pimp named Jack are both arrested for crimes they didn’t commit and end up sharing a cell in the Orleans Parish Prison. Their uneasy routine is upended when an eccentric, optimistic Italian named Roberto—whose broken English is at once charming and maddening—joins them and proposes an audacious escape. What follows is less a conventional thriller than a character-driven road movie: the prison break is only the beginning of a slow-burning, occasionally darkly funny journey. Viewers can expect dry, deadpan humor and sharp, often awkward exchanges as the trio negotiates language barriers, mistrust, and the petty dangers of life on the run. The film balances crime-story tension (framing, arrest, the logistics and consequences of escape) with intimate scenes of unlikely friendship and small, human moments that linger. If you watch Down by Law, you’ll experience a mood‑driven, minimalist tale where atmosphere, character dynamics, and understated comedy matter as much as plot. It’s ideal for viewers who enjoy quirky, character-centered films that mix humor with a hint of melancholy and a sense of wandering adventure.

Actors: Tom Waits, John Lurie, Roberto Benigni

Director: Jim Jarmusch

Runtime: 107 min

Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama

7.6 /10 75 /100 7.7 /10 7.6 /10