Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Jim Jarmusch

Writer:

Jim Jarmusch (written by)

Release Date:

12 March 2004 (Italy)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Drama

Plot:

A series of vignettes that all have coffee and cigarettes in common.

Plot Keywords:

Cigarette | Coffee | Smoking | Smoke | Cult Director

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Roberto Benigni	...	Roberto (segment "Strange to Meet You")
Steven Wright	...	Steven (segment "Strange to Meet You")
Joie Lee	...	Good Twin (segment "Twins")
Cinqué Lee	...	Evil Twin / Kitchen Guy (segment "Twins / Jack Shows Meg His Tesla Coil")
Steve Buscemi	...	Waiter (segment "Twins")
Iggy Pop	...	Iggy (segment "Somewhere in California")
Tom Waits	...	Tom (segment "Somewhere in California")
Joseph Rigano	...	Joe (segment "Those Things'll Kill Ya") (as Joe Rigano)
Vinny Vella	...	Vinny (segment "Those Things'll Kill Ya")
Vinny Vella Jr.	...	Vinny Jr. (segment "Those Things'll Kill Ya")
Renee French	...	Renée (segment "Renée") (as Renée French)
E.J. Rodriguez	...	Waiter (segment "Renée")
Alex Descas	...	Alex (segment "No Problem")
Isaach De Bankolé	...	Isaach (segment "No Problem")
Cate Blanchett	...	Cate / Shelly (segment "Cousins")

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | Japan | Italy

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Mexico:B | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | Netherlands:AL | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | USA:R

Company:

Asmik Ace Entertainment

Trivia:

In the "Twins" segment with Joie Lee and Cinqué Lee, along with Steve Buscemi, Joie paraphrases a quote commonly attributed to Elvis Presley, "The only thing a nigger can do for me is buy my records and shine my shoes." Despite popular belief, Elvis himself, along with several of his friends and family members, have vehemently denied that he ever said this.

Goofs:

Continuity: When toasting in the Champagne sequence, the cup of Taylor Mead changes hands.

Quotes:

Steve: I've not given my number out to many eminent people in the past. I've not given my number out to Sam Mendes, so you're in good company.
Alfred: Well, if it's good enough for Sam Mendes it's good enough for me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Any Given Sundance (#19.18)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Crimson and Clover

No tea and biscuits

Short films with nonsense dialogue of shifting dignity. Lots of self irony or even self sarcasm. Tom Waits is mocking with Iggy Pop in a way that it's hard to believe they ever can talk to each other again. Bill Murray is pulling the leg of the hip hop movement and the movement finds that funny. Cate Blanchett is on a genial level playing the double part of the filmstar and her jealous cousin.

Jim Jarmusch can't be beaten. The dialogue seems to be mostly improvised, but the concept is not. Every short chapter here has a meaning and gives us something to think about. The films are in black and white, like coffee and cigarettes and that still is, and will always be, a way of pushing things harder. This is very much comedy and very much serious.