Smoke (1995)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Wayne Wang

Writer:

Paul Auster (written by)

Release Date:

9 June 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Where there's smoke... there's laughter!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Smoke | Brooklyn | Writer | New York | Auto Mechanic

Awards:

7 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Giancarlo Esposito	...	OTB Man #1, Tommy
José Zúñiga	...	OTB Man #2, Jerry
Stephen Gevedon	...	OTB Man #3, Dennis (as Steve Gevedon)
Harvey Keitel	...	Augustus 'Auggie' Wren
Jared Harris	...	Jimmy Rose
William Hurt	...	Paul Benjamin
Daniel Auster	...	Book Thief
Harold Perrineau	...	Thomas '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

Also Known As:

Smoke - Raucher unter sich (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

Germany | USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DuArt) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Phillipstown, New York, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

The story that William Hurt's character tells about the son who found his dead father's body frozen on a mountain is the same story that Paul Auster uses in his novel, "The New York Trilogy".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Thomas Cole knocks on the door of Paul Benjamin's apartment on his first visit, Paul goes to answers the door without a cigarette. However, when he opens the door a lit cigarette appears in his mouth.

Quotes:

Auggie Wren: If you can't share your secrets with your friends then what kind of friend are you?
Paul Benjamin: Exactly... life just wouldn't be worth living.

Movie Connections:

References Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

Soundtrack:

Smoke gets in your eyes

A movie that can be watched several times with joy

After I read the comments for Smoke, I was fascinated by the power of cinema while I realized that most of the people felt the same things as I did when they watched the movie. I watched Smoke several times without getting bored and still I sometimes watch some scenes. The characters are so real and the dialogs are so natural that I feel like I meet my friends or a part of my family when I watch it. I feel like if I went to Brooklyn, I would find that tobacco shop with Auggie sitting at the desk, chatting with others.

The beautiful scenes are also unforgettable… The first scene where Paul tells about the weight of smoke… The scene where Auggie says that the light, season and people are different in the photos that he takes every day… I also love the end, where Auggie tells the Christmas story to Paul and the white-black scene with the song of Tom Waits.

When you watch the movie, you understand that it is just the little things - a chat with your friend, a moment of happiness, a Christmas story told at lunch, a photo- and the feelings in life that matters. That's why maybe we feel so happy and relaxed when we watch the movie: We forget about the daily stress and want to be a part of Auggie Wren's world.