The Limits of Control is not a film for the masses. Many will not grasp onto director Jim Jarmusch’s affinity for the laconic. The shots held for a ridiculously long time, the outlandish characters who speak of intangible subjects and the overall sterility of this film are a deadly cocktail to those raised in a fast-moving, ADD society.

But that doesn’t mean Control isn’t a good film. Jarmusch, who brought us 2003’s Coffee and Cigarettes and 2005’s Broken Flowers, has always been known for being cooler than the rest, hipper than most and, maybe, smarter than all of us. In a film world saturated by Hollywood’s formulaic happy endings, Jarmusch is the kink in the machine.

The story of Control follows a lone stranger, played by Isaach De Bankolé, as he travels through Spain on some sort of mission. Along the way, he exchanges secret messages and matchboxes with eccentric characters.

What gets frustrating as time goes on is that audiences learn very little about the leading man. We don’t know much about his mission, or why he’s doing it, or even if he gets paid. We do know that he wears the same suit for several days, he orders two cups of espresso but only drinks one and he spends his free time at art galleries.

The overall feeling of the film is actually very similar to walking through an art gallery. You stare at a painting for a while, think, “Oh, that’s nice,” and then move on to the next. You can’t touch the art, and no matter how hard you try, you can never really feel one with it. It’s just a nice scene to look at before moving on to the next.

The Limits of Control has been mislabeled in several ways. First of all, it’s being called a crime thriller, but there’s very little crime and very little thrill. Actually, viewers don’t see anything outright criminal for about an hour and a half. Jarmusch’s style is slow, long and suspenseful, but not thrilling. If anything, this is film noir harkening the European crime dramas of yesteryear.

Furthermore, the cast of this film has been a big deal for a while now, and rightfully so. This is the fourth film in which Jarmusch has teamed up with Isaach De Bankolé (the others being Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Night on Earth and the aforementioned Coffee and Cigarettes). Jarmusch also brings back some other familiar faces including Alex Descas, John Hurt, Youki Kudoh, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton, but their interactions with De Bankolé’s character are quick and fleeting. They provide a short, raving monologue, give him what he needs and leave. And viewers are left craving more screen time with these amazing actors.

When the characters do speak, their wild rants cover big, earth-shattering topics including molecules, death, life, the real and the subjective. Their prose could be considered profound—or just a bunch of silly words strung together. It borders on trying too hard to be intense.

That’s not to say that De Bankolé can’t handle the heavy weight of carrying this film. Besides his startling facial structure, he is skillful, subtle and honest. He may not speak much in the film, but his face seamlessly changes to express emotion more than any words possibly could.

This is also not the first time the contemporary cinematographer Christopher Doyle has worked with Jarmusch. They shot The Raconteurs video for “Steady, As She Goes” in 2006 in part using V-Cams from Toys ‘R’ Us. The camera work is slow, dark and pensive. It fits the tone of the film, but can get tiring to even the most patient of viewer.

Perhaps the real stars of Jarmusch’s films are the settings. Set in three separate cities in Spain, The Limits of Control feels both familiar and completely foreign. One flamenco dancing scene in particular pulls at the heartstrings with its raw musical talent. The characters in the film seem to come from all walks of life, their character names as simple as “American” (Murray), “Mexican” (Gael Garcia Bernal) and “Blonde” (Swinton). The international mixture helps create a universe all its own.

The bottom line is that if you love Jarmusch, you will love The Limits of Control. If you don’t know anything about the idiosyncratic auteur, but you’re looking for an experience outside of the cookie-cutter Hollywood films, you may like the film. However, if you’re not, then Control is just like a beautiful piece of art: admire, and move on.

The Limits of Control is now playing in limited release.

For more information, visit the movie’s official Web site.