200 Cigarettes (1999)

A collection of twentysomethings try to cope with relationships, loneliness, desire and their individual neuroses.

Director:

Risa Bramon Garcia

Writer:

Shana Larsen

Stars:

Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Dave Chappelle

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ben Affleck	...	Bartender
Casey Affleck	...	Tom
Jennifer Albano	...	Cheryl
Jenni Blong	...	Cheryl's Friend (as Jenny Blong)
Morgan Brown	...	French Rocker
Caleb Carr	...	Cynical Bar Patron
Dave Chappelle	...	Disco Cabbie
Elvis Costello	...	Elvis Costello
Guillermo Díaz	...	Dave (as Guillermo Diaz)
Angela Featherstone	...	Caitlyn
Patrick Frederic	...	Tiki Sobbing Man
Janeane Garofalo	...	Ellie
Gaby Hoffmann	...	Stephie
Kate Hudson	...	Cindy
David Johansen	...	Tiki Bartender

Storyline

New Year's Eve, 1981, the Lower East Side. Monica's having a party, but as late as 9, no one's there. She stews (and drinks). Folks are on their way, all looking for love, sex, or both. En route, paths cross, gambits misfire: a performance artist, her boyfriend until today and his long-time pal Lucy, two Long Island high-school girls, two punk rockers, a bartender, a Scottish painter who's lousy in bed, a pretty face named Jack who runs when women say they love him, his cute but clumsy date Cindy, two trendy vamps, a loquacious cabby, the man-crazed Hillary, and Elvis Costello. Nearly everybody smokes, and nearly everybody scores. And all get who and what they deserve.

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Plot Keywords:

cigarette smoking | number in title | new year's eve | party | friend | 

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Taglines:

It's 11:59 on New Year's Eve. Do you know where your date is?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and sexual content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Islander

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,244,277, 28 February 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$6,851,636, 9 May 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dogstar Films,Lakeshore Entertainment,MTV Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title is a reference to a carton of cigarettes, ten packs per carton, twenty cigarettes per pack.

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Goofs

The song playing during the opening credits, Bow Wow Wow's version of "I Want Candy", which was also the video playing on the TV behind Ben Affleck in the bar, wasn't released until the next year, 1982.

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Quotes

Lucy: In the five years we've known each other, have you once even ever considered having sex with me? Apart from tonight. You don't think I'm attracted to you.
Kevin: I don't think you're attracted to half the men you sleep with.
Lucy: You think I'm a slut!
Kevin: What? No.
Lucy: Yeah, you think I'm a big slut.
Kevin: I don't think you're a slut. A skanky little ho maybe, but never a slut.
Lucy: The truth is, you're afraid.
Kevin: What? I'm afraid. I'm, yeah, OK, you... I feel so naked right now. I'm totally afraid.
Lucy: It is so obvious.
Kevin: And so ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

At the end of credits Disco Cabie can be heard saying, "If you only remember one thing I've said, remember this; James Brown is the baddest motherf@cker in show business."

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Alternate Versions

A workprint copy exists, which does add some extra footage

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Connections

Features The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

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Soundtracks

Save It for Later
By Roger Charlery, Andy Cox (as Andrew Cox), Everett Morton, David Steele & David Wakeling
Performed by Harvey Danger
Courtesy of London Records USA

User Reviews

Stellar ensemble vehicle

this is one of my all-time favorite movies; as evidenced by my review history, I am not a compulsive reviewer, but decided that if one more movie deserves my shout-out it is this low-profile and vastly underrated effort so I dredged up my registration information which I hadn't used in years; I remember stumbling upon the movie at my local home video rental store nine years ago; I immediately fell in love with this star-jammed vehicle that effortlessly manages to be stridently observant and yet retain a light and joyfully irrelevant touch; some of the reviewers complain that its crowded story-lines don't allow for fully-fledged characters but fail to see that it's one of the successful wink-wink aspects of the movie: most of the protagonists ARE fully-fledged, it's just that there just so much to their character! They are either shallow/vapid people or one-track minds desperate to score before the last hours of the old year ring out; both types can be sketched with a few confident strokes! for instance, just listening in on the bathroom conversation of Caitlin and Bridget you get all the insight into their character that you need to know perfectly well where they come from and what is their motivation; come on, given the lightweight subject matter I don't see how you can expect a 162-minute English patient-calibre backstory; you might ask then why waste time on a movie about shallow people or people obsessed with hosting the perfect party? because shallow plus zero self-awareness plus NYC art-scene types equals funny; being so caught up in party dip and New Year's decoration that it leads up to existential drama and queasiness is also hilarious in my book; and 200 cigarettes serves up just that sort of delightful cinematic entertainment; not to mention that it has one of my all-time favorite one-liners: "I DARE you to f*** me!"