Permanent Vacation (1980 film)
Permanent Vacation is a 1980 film directed, written and produced by Jim Jarmusch. It was the director's first release, and was shot on 16 mm film shortly after he dropped out of film school. Premise The main character, an alienated troubled hipster (Chris Parker), wanders around a dingy New York atmosphere and is confronted by a number of intriguing characters as he ponders the questions of life and searches for a better place. Cast Chris Parker (Allie) Richard Boes (War vet) Ruth Bolton (Mother) Sara Driver (Nurse) María Duval (Latin girl) Frankie Faison (Man in lobby) Jane Fire (Nurse) Suzanne Fletcher (Girl in car) Leila Gastil (Leila) Chris Hameon (French traveller) John Lurie (Sax player) Eric Mitchell (Car fence) Lisa Rosen (Popcorn girl) Felice Rosser (Woman by mailbox) Evelyn Smith (Patient) Charlie Spademan (Patient) Reception It currently receives a weighted average score of 69 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 4 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Vincent Canby proclaimed this film as a "must-see for anyone who shares the belief that Mr. Jarmusch is the most arresting and original American film maker to come out of the 1980s". Eric Eidelstein of IndieWire called it "a touching vision of