A Brooklyn smoke shop is the center of neighborhood activity, and the stories of its customers.
Director:
Wayne WangWriter:
Paul Auster
From metacritic.com
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Title: Smoke (1995)
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11 wins & 8 nominations.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Giancarlo Esposito | ... | 1st OTB Man / Tommy | |
| José Zúñiga | ... | 2nd OTB Man / Jerry (as Jose Zuniga) | |
| Stephen Gevedon | ... | OTB Man #3, Dennis (as Steve Gevedon) | |
| Harvey Keitel | ... | Auggie Wren | |
| Jared Harris | ... | Jimmy Rose | |
| William Hurt | ... | Paul Benjamin | |
 |
Daniel Auster | ... | Book Thief |
| Harold Perrineau | ... | 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 | |
Learn more
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
The plot of this movie, like smoke, drifts and swirls ethereally. Characters and subplots are deftly woven into a tapestry of stories and pictures which only slowly emerges to our view. This movie tries to convince us that reality doesn't matter so much as aesthetic satisfaction. In Auggie Wren's (Harvey Keitel's) New York City smoke shop, day by day passes, seemingly unchanging until he teaches us to notice the little details of life. Paul Benjamin (William Hurt), a disheartened and broken writer, has a brush with death that is pivotal and sets up an unlikely series of events that afford him a novel glimpse into the life on the street which he saw, but did not truly perceive, every day. Finally, it's Auggie's turn to spin a tale. Written by Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>
Taglines:
The most precious things are lighter than the air See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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OTB Man #1, Tommy: I'm gonna tell you why they aren't going anywhere.
OTB Man #3, Dennis: Why aren't they going anywhere?
OTB Man #1, Tommy: Management.
OTB Man #3, Dennis: Aw jeez.
OTB Man #1, Tommy: Those guys are walkin' around with the head up their asses.
OTB Man #3, Dennis: Right, yeah. Well ya know, they made some good trades too ya know. Carter and Manis. Without them two there never woulda been a World Series.
See more »
Written by Screamin' Jay Hawkins (as Jay Hawkins) and Irv Nahan
Performed by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Courtesy of Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Included amongst the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider. See more »Goofs
When Ruby (Stockard Channing) and Augie (Harvey Keitel) meet in the tobacco shop for the first time, Ruby's left eye can occasionally be seen underneath the black eye patch. The character is said to have lost her glass eye. See more »Quotes
[first lines]OTB Man #1, Tommy: I'm gonna tell you why they aren't going anywhere.
OTB Man #3, Dennis: Why aren't they going anywhere?
OTB Man #1, Tommy: Management.
OTB Man #3, Dennis: Aw jeez.
OTB Man #1, Tommy: Those guys are walkin' around with the head up their asses.
OTB Man #3, Dennis: Right, yeah. Well ya know, they made some good trades too ya know. Carter and Manis. Without them two there never woulda been a World Series.
See more »
Soundtracks
Hong KongWritten by Screamin' Jay Hawkins (as Jay Hawkins) and Irv Nahan
Performed by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Courtesy of Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
See more »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
9 June 1995 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Smoke See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$7,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$70,744, 11 June 1995Gross USA:
$8,367,636Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$8,367,636Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1Contribute to This Page
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I cannot begin to convey the intellectual and spiritual riches of this exquisite, almost transcendental film. I have rarely seen a motion picture with better acting or a more literate, insightful script.Harvey Keitel, John Hurt, Stockard Channing, Ashley Judd, Forrest Whittaker, and all the other players contribute some of their finest performances.The film itself ends with a "Christmas story' which conveys more of the religious-and humanist-meaning of that holiday than a thousand scmaltzy TV specials.Watch this movie, watch it carefully. Rarely has the beauty and sublimity concealed behind the facade of quotidian existence been better conveyed in a film.