Smoke (1995)
Writer Paul Benjamin is nearly hit by a bus when he leaves Auggie Wren's smoke shop. Stranger Rashid Cole saves his life, and soon middle-aged Paul tells homeless Rashid that he wouldn't mind a short-term housemate. Still grieving over his wife's murder, Paul is moved by both Rashid's quest to reconnect with his father and Auggie's discovery that a woman who might be his daughter is about to give birth.
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If you don't like this, we can't be friends.
It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Blistering performances.
Smoke deals with some intertwined destinies that, unfortunately, are never really convincing. One wonders, most of the time, where Wayne Wang and his writer wanted to go, what was the message they wanted to deliver trough these story lines, often composed of laborious and contrived dialogues, that hardly combine, that all lack substance and that even sometimes turn out to be frankly uninteresting as Auggie's ex-wife. The latter, embodied by the excellent Harvey Keitel, is, by the way, the most touching and interesting character, behind the best scene in the movie when he tells his unexpected Christmas to his friend Paul. A certain sincerity emerges from Smoke but it is not enough to compensate for the lacks of this pseudo comedy-drama.
I agree with all of the reviewers who have praised the work of Harvey Keitel, William Hurt and others in this film.However, I believe special mention is deserved for the actress who plays the part of an elderly woman in the Christmas story at the end of the film. Without revealing any of the plot, the subtle yet dramatic change in her facial expression, without uttering a single word, blew me away.I hope others agree.Years after seeing this film, the haunting song, Innocent in your Dreams, still comes back to me
SMOKE amazes me - I loved it when it first came out and I searched for more of Paul Auster's writings - I found this non-fiction work by him HAND TO MOUTH - about his early days struggling as a writer - it is one of the best books I have ever read. I just rented it again and watched it this Christmas (which is perfect seeing how it ends at Xmas and with Keitel telling the beautiful and true(?) Christmas story) - the film is even better than I remembered. Keitel. Hurt, Whitaker, Channing deliver fantastic performances and Ashley Judd is stunning in her one, angry, venomous scene as Channing's drug addicted daughter. Simple story about a good, smart man who happens to run a Brooklyn Cigar Store and all the individuals who come in and out on a weekly basis - it truly is about wounded people trying to heal and how (even in a harsh, ugly world) one can find peace and beauty.
It is important to me because this wonderful film is filled with thought provoking dialogs, and a very good story, amazing cast, great characters, with wonderful depth of feelings.This movie is a slow paced film , this is a quiet film that works, and that works very well. The movie is a little slow at times you may think, and indeed it is, but it really hooks you in and keeps you watching. A brilliant flick that relies more on simple, character-driven plot than action and crash-boom-bang. SMOKE is not a real adventure, not a real drama, not a real comedy, not a real cops movie, and not a real action movie as well. It's about life. But in a real way, and surprisingly not boring. I have seen it many times and keep watching it because I love its celebration of the simple pleasures of life: friendships, good conversation and normal human relations. Smoke is not a complex or experimental film, just a beautiful and simple portrayal of humanity. Nothing more nothing less. This is an actors movie, and they all do an incredible job.Best bit for me : I especially love the Christmas sequence at the end where the film reaches a sublime conclusion in a tender Christmas story narrated by Keitel and supported by Tom Waits' haunting song "Innocent When You Dream". I love this bit. Makes me cry like a girl. So moving, so touching, so heartwarming, so bitter-sweet.Watch this movie, watch it carefully. It has great characters, a great script, played by a flawless cast, and no doubt it is beautifully directed. Beautiful, beautiful movie. Unmissable ! "Smoke" is/was truly one of the best movies of 90's. I would recommend this film to people of all ages. I'm impressed. You will be impressed. And, oh yes, the Christmas STORY at the end WILL MAKE YOU CRY !!