Eastern
and Western cultures and philosophies intersect in this comic drama
from acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch. Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker) is a
silent modern-day warrior who lives on a rooftop shack. He spends his
days breeding pigeons and playing chess in the park with his best
friend, Raymond (Isaach de Bankole), a French-speaking ice-cream man. At
night he goes to work as a hit man, performing his tasks stealthily and
invisibly, abiding by the codes established by HAGAKURE: THE BOOK OF
THE SAMURAI, an 18th-century text. One night, while on his latest hit,
Ghost Dog encounters a mob boss's beautiful daughter, Louise (Tricia
Vessey). Although Ghost Dog leaves her unharmed, her father nonetheless
orders Ghost Dog's execution, to the dismay of Louie (John Tormey), his
loyal retainer. As the mobsters struggle to locate the mysteriously
untraceable Ghost Dog, he must find a way to protect himself while
remaining loyal to Louie and the ancient codes that define him as an
individual. Jarmusch successfully tackles a variety of genres with GHOST
DOG, including mob movies and spiritual samurai films. Fusing all of
this with the RZA's thumping, atmospheric score, GHOST DOG remains
another entertaining addition to Jarmusch's impressive filmography.