Smoke (1995)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Wayne Wang

Writer:

Paul Auster (written by)

Release Date:

9 June 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Where there's smoke... there's laughter!

Plot:

A Brooklyn smoke shop is the center of neighborhood activity, and the stories of its customers.

Plot Keywords:

Smoke | Brooklyn | Writer | New York | Forgiveness

Awards:

8 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Giancarlo Esposito	...	OTB Man #1, Tommy
José Zúñiga	...	OTB Man #2, Jerry
Stephen Gevedon	...	OTB Man #3, Dennis (as Steve Gevedon)
Harvey Keitel	...	Augustus 'Auggie' Wren
Jared Harris	...	Jimmy Rose
William Hurt	...	Paul Benjamin
Daniel Auster	...	Book Thief
Harold Perrineau	...	Thomas 'Rashid' Cole (as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Sue the Waitress
Victor Argo	...	Vinnie
Michelle Hurst	...	Aunt Em
Forest Whitaker	...	Cyrus Cole
Stockard Channing	...	Ruby McNutt
Vincenzo Amelia	...	Irate Customer
Erica Gimpel	...	Doreen Cole

Also Known As:

Smoke - Raucher unter sich (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

Germany | USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DuArt) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Phillipstown, New York, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Harold Perrineau is only two years younger than Forest Whitaker who plays his father.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Thomas Cole knocks on the door of Paul Benjamin's apartment on his first visit, Paul goes to answers the door without a cigarette. However, when he opens the door a lit cigarette appears in his mouth.

Quotes:

Auggie Wren: If you can't share your secrets with your friends then what kind of friend are you?
Paul Benjamin: Exactly... life just wouldn't be worth living.

Movie Connections:

References Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

Soundtrack:

Innocent when you dream

A beautiful urban poem.

SMOKE is a beautiful movie about nothing at all and at the same time about everything. I don´t even know how to describe it to someone, i guess it´s undescribable. It´s one of those rare movies that it has to be felt. If you don´t feel it, then you are missing the whole point. SMOKE is one of those rare movies which we don´t know how to recommend this to our friends, because it´s so original and simple that there is nothing to describe. Anything we might say ,it only will give the illusion this is an shallow or boring movie. SMOKE is not an adventure, not a drama, not a comedy, not a cops movie, not an action movie, so what it´s about ?!! It´s about life. But in a real way, and surprisingly not boring.

This movie is very similar to Luc Besson´s - Le Gran Bleu (The Big Blue). The story it has nothing to do with it, but it´s a movie to also be felt.

This is an actors movie, and they all do an incredible job. Sometimes they make us want to go to New York and go talk with them. Then we remember that they are not real, and we wished they were. Harvey Keitel and William Hurt are perfect in their characters and it´s a joy to watch them act. The movie could be only both of them talking to to each other, that it would still be a great and not boring movie.

This is a very well writen, acted and directed script, and we don´t find many of this everyday. And it has a fantastic soundtrack also that fits perfectly in the story. The final scenes with a Tom Waits song are realy poetic. The music almost becomes a character in the movie.

Beautiful, beautiful movie. Unmissable !

By the way, if you can, watch the "sequel" also, because it´s as good as the original. It´s called "Blue in the face". Don´t miss it.

SMOKE is a magnificent movie.