The Limits of Control

Play trailer

The Limits of Control

R

Released May 1, 2009

1h 56m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

43%

Tomatometer

129 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

A mysterious stranger (Isaach de Bankolé) works outside the law and keeps his objectives hidden, trusting no one. While his demeanor is paradoxically focused and dreamlike all at once, he embarks on a journey that not only takes him across Spain, but also through his own consciousness.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

A minimalist exercise in not much of anything, The Limits of Control is a tedious viewing experience with little reward.

Read Critics Reviews

Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 4/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Andrew Male

Empire Magazine

Cool, handsome, self-assured... but, as the existentialists might say, what's the bloody point?

Rated: 3/5

Dec 11, 2009

Full Review

David Jenkins

Time Out

A work of dazzling formal discipline that riffs on the simple notion of repetition and variation.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 11, 2009

Full Review

Dustin Chang

International Cinephile Society

Less hypnotic than Dead Man but infinitely more interesting than anything else he's done since, Limits of Control is more of an exercise in Jarmusch-ism.

Apr 12, 2021

Full Review

Dustin Chang

Floating World

Only Jarmusch can get away with pretentious movie about art like this. Less hypnotic than Dead Man but infinitely more interesting than anything else he's done since, Limits of Control is more of an exercise in Jarmusch-ism.

Mar 24, 2021

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

What begins as an exercise in existentialism and surrealism graduates into the amateurish experiment of a hitman procedural.

Rated: 2/10

Nov 29, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Lloyd S

Didn't get this movie, but enjoyed Paz completely naked. That ass deserve 10 stars!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/15/25

Full Review

Valentine P

Near the end of this film, the hitman sits in front of a blank canvas in an art gallery and stares at it. This is the experience you can expect from this movie. Stare as much as you like, you don't have much to go on. Your many questions will go unanswered. Don't waste your time.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/03/25

Full Review

Steve D

Aimless and slow as can be.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/08/23

Full Review

Logan M

Call me crazy, but I think I liked it. I won't recommend it or call it a good film. It is quite literally all style and no substance at all. But Jim Jarmusch's direction the film's cast and its cinematography let me enjoy it, even if I can't say very much in its favor.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/12/23

Full Review

KEVIN C

The more I watch this one the more I'm drawn in to this dialogue light film of intrigue. From the lead, Isaach De Bankole, whose quiet strength hooks you into every movement he makes and every step he takes you on this journey. Surrounded by an incredible support cast Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Gael Garcia Bernal and the incredibly beautiful Paz de La Huerta , who they certainly didn't go broke on her wardrobe. Interesting film that you're not always sure what's going on but riveting nonetheless.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/14/22

Full Review

Audience Member

If you liked Broken Flowers then I would go out on a limb and say that you will like this... a central character strolls around interacting with other more or less random characters discussing more or less random things, and it looks good and it sounds good, and nothing much actually happens. Same goes for Paterson as far as I can remember. Not sure why this one gets down-rated so much, maybe there is the expectation that it is somehow an action movie (it isn't). An easy enjoyable watch.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Jim Jarmusch

Director

Isaach de Bankolé

Lone Man

Gael García Bernal

Mexican

Tilda Swinton

Blonde

John Hurt

Guitar

Bill Murray

American

Adoration

62%

49%

Adoration

Watchlist

A Prophet

96%

89%

A Prophet

Watchlist

What Goes Up

14%

31%

What Goes Up

Watchlist

After the Wedding

87%

87%

After the Wedding

Watchlist

Máncora

33%

51%

Máncora

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Critics Consensus: Wolverine Isn’t Looking Too Sharp

Production Begins on Jim Jarmusch’s The Limits of Control

View more photos

Synopsis

A mysterious stranger (Isaach de Bankolé) works outside the law and keeps his objectives hidden, trusting no one. While his demeanor is paradoxically focused and dreamlike all at once, he embarks on a journey that not only takes him across Spain, but also through his own consciousness.

Director: Jim Jarmusch
Producer: Stacey Smith, Gretchen McGowan
Screenwriter: Jim Jarmusch
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Pointblank Pictures
Rating: R (Some Language|Graphic Nudity)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $425.0K
Runtime: 1h 56m

Most Popular at Home Now