A captivating blend of urban noir, prison movie, poetic fable with a twisted sense of humour, Down by Law details the meeting of three unlikely convicts and their just as unlikely escape.

12 - 28 September.

"Though strangers, pimp Jack (John Lurie) and DJ Zack (Tom Waits) are alike in thinking themselves the coolest dudes in New Orleans. Unsurprisingly, given their lazy self-esteem, each has made enemies, and soon they’re sharing the same prison cell, acknowledging one another only through insults – until they’re joined by Roberto (Benigni), an irrepressibly cheery Italian who, being ‘a good hegg’ and undeterred by evident disdain, shares his improbable plans of escape with them... Both the consistently inventive script (‘I’m serious as cancer,’ claims one low-life) and the terrific performances ensure that the film’s very funny throughout and, finally, surprisingly touching; crucially, its themes of innocence and experience, stagnancy and regeneration are handled with an admirable lightness of touch. Robby Müller’s black and white camerawork, whether in New Orleans or the Louisiana bayoux, is as good as it gets, while Lurie provides a fine score performed by such luminaries as Tony Garnier, Nana Vasconcelos, Arto Lindsay and Marc Ribot. Impossible to imagine a more enjoyable endorsement of Roberto’s thesis that this is ‘a sad an’ beautiful world.’" Geoff Andrew