Stranger Than Paradise
1984 · Movie · R · 90 min · ★ 7.2 · 93% critics
A New York layabout unexpectedly bonds with his young Hungarian cousin when she comes to visit. After she moves in with their aunt in Cleveland, he brings his best friend to see her, and the trip turns into a strange, eventful journey to Florida.
Based on Stranger than Paradise
Where to watch
Streaming on HBO Max, Kanopy and The Criterion Channel — or rent from $3.99.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 1984
- Release date
- 1984-10-01
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Critic score
- 93/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (606 votes)
- Box office
- $2,436,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you like quiet, character-led road-trip stories with dry humor and a desolate feel, like Mystery Train or Down by Law; Not for you if you need fast action, a clear plot arc, or lots of conventional payoff.
Pros: deadpan humor; grounded realism; memorable moments | Cons: slow pacing; minimal plot; divisive ending
Themes
- bet
- florida
- new york city
- immigrant
- friendship
- card game
- horse race
- hungary
- american dream
- road movie
- cleveland, ohio
Awards & recognition
- Golden Leopard · 1984
Cast & crew
John Lurie
as Willie
Eszter Balint
as Eva
Richard Edson
as Eddie
- CS
Cecillia Stark
as Aunt Lotte
- DR
Danny Rosen
as Billy
Rammellzee
as Man with money
Tom DiCillo
as Airline Agent
Richard Boes
as Factory Worker
Rockets Redglare
as Poker Player
- HP
Harvey Perr
as Poker Player
Directed by Jim Jarmusch