Broken Process

When filmmaker Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers was released last year, it was an instant hit with critics, and a prizewinner at Cannes. But now, a struggling screenwriter is accusing Jarmusch of having lifted much of the movie from his script. But he may have little recourse. “His case was hardly unique, or even all that unusual. When pressed, claims like his were usually squashed by high-powered studio lawyers — or quietly settled and sealed by both parties. Furthermore, pursuing legal action could kill his chances of ever working in the movies. And bankrupt him in the process.”