Hey, cool, what a weird coincidence. I also watched both Paterson and The Meyerowitz Stories back to back, and I thought that, even though they were both very different, they sort of complimented each other. They were both really interesting explorations of what it means to devote your life to being an artist, even when that doesn't mean becoming famous.Originally Posted by gibbonblack
There's a certain dignity to the way that Paterson just writes his poetry and keeps it to himself. I think he does it to feel connected to things and for the sincere joy of expression. There's something kind of pure about that, and it's interesting to contrast him with the Dustin Hoffman character in The Meyerowitz Stories, because he's like the exact opposite. He's consumed by own insecurity and bitterness about not being more famous for his art and it warps him and turns him into an emotionally abusive narcissist. His devotion to art is selfish and corrupting, but for Paterson, it's like a tonic, something to help him cope with the monotony of his life.
I don't know if any of that makes sense, but I just thought it was interesting how there was a bit of thematic overlap between those two movies that I hadn't expected to find.
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