Smoke (1995)

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

Director:

Wayne Wang

Writer:

Paul Auster

Stars:

Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Giancarlo Esposito

11 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Giancarlo Esposito	...	OTB Man #1, Tommy
José Zúñiga	...	OTB Man #2, Jerry
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

Storyline

The plot of this movie, like smoke itself, 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 film tries to convince us that reality doesn't matter so much as aesthetic satisfaction. In Auggie's New York smoke shop, day by day passes, seemingly unchanging until he teaches us to notice the little details of life. Paul Benjamin, 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....

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Plot Keywords:

smoke | cigarette smoking | death of wife | year 1990 | summer | 

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Taglines:

Five strangers. Four secrets. Three schemes. Two best friends. And one neighborhood hangout where the world still makes sense.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Miramax Official site

Country:

Germany Japan USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 June 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Smoke

Filming Locations:

72 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$70,744, 11 June 1995

Gross USA:

$8,367,636

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,367,636

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, NDF International, Euro Space

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (DuArt) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Paul Benjamin" is a reference to writer Paul Auster, whose middle name is Benjamin: Paul Benjamin Auster.

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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.

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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.

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Connections

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

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Soundtracks

Twenty Four preludes and fugues, op. 87 Fugue no. 1, C major
Written by Dmitri Shostakovich
Performed by Keith Jarrett
Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc.

User Reviews

Harvey Keitel's best?

I'll try to make this short and sweet. This is simply one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. Even the credits can't be missed. Harvey Keitel and William Hurt are just unbelievable. Ashley Judd makes you want to kill her. There are so many gems in this movie you would think it came from a South African diamond mine. This is NOT to be missed. It's sort of a non-linear Quentin Tarantino format without the violence. Several great stories spun by a master. Two words: SEE IT.