This is one of those cases where mood takes precedence over plot or characters, and that's generally how I like it. As a story, Dead Man really isn't anything all that special. It's slightly subversive in many ways, but it's also kinda tedious and one-note. Though I can't really find it in myself to care when the vibes carry such potency.
This whole movie feels like a dream, or like some hazy purgatory between life and death, between the natural world and the spiritual world. And it captures this strange state of mind through beautiful Western landscapes, sharp black & white photography, some deadpan wit, a handful of quirky performances (many of which are much briefer than I would've preferred, but I digress), and - my personal favourite - Neil Young's thunderous, hypnotic electric guitar scoring.
Do I know what Jarmusch is trying to say with this movie? Not in the slightest. Hell, maybe he isn't trying to say anything at all. But what I do know is that I found the whole experience to be surreal, whimsical, and even a little profound - perhaps because it's all so perplexing.
Grade: A