Coffee and Cigarettes

source: Coffee and Cigarettes

Trailer—Coffee and Cigarettes

Coffee and Cigarettes

COFFEE AND CIGARETTES (2004) *** Roberto Benigni, Steven Wright, Joie Lee, Cinque Lee, Steve Buscemi, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Joseph Rigano, Vinny Vella, Vinny Vella, Jr., Renee French, E.J. Rodriguez, Alex Descas, Isaach De Bankole, Cate Blanchett, Mike Hogan, Jack White, Meg White, Alfred Molina, Steve Coogan, Katy Hansz, GZA, RZA, Bill Murray, William Rice, Taylor Mead. Indie king filmmaker Jim Jarmusch's frequently clever string of stimulant fueled vignettes set in different coffee clatches with witty dialogue amongst an eclectic gaggle of stars that have a unique hit or miss overall appeal in their seemingly improvised gatherings. The Good (between rockers Pop & Waits), The Bad (between the siblings Lee and White) and The Best (Murray's java guzzling with members of WuTang Clan is the scene-stealing funniest). Filmed in beautiful grainy black and white by Tom DiCillo, Frederick Elmes, Ellen Kuras and Robby Muller over 17 years (!)

At its best "Coffee and Cigarettes" is a fun premise, with a constellation of stars with hip characters in hip locations. At its worse "Coffee and Cigarettes" is the worst improv you're going to see this side of amateur drama school. Despite good stories by two old working class men and mafiosi, and great performances by a wide range of actors, comedians, rappers and rock stars, you'll be bored to tears with at least three-quarters of the whole movie. Some guidance by the director wouldn't have hurt. At least the most boring stories aren't that long. This is a hipster film that had the potential of becoming a pop culture phenomenon. See it if just for thinking of all the possibilities that were missed.

Short films with nonsense dialogue of shifting dignity. Lots of self irony or even self sarcasm. Tom Waits is mocking with Iggy Pop in a way that it's hard to believe they ever can talk to each other again. Bill Murray is pulling the leg of the hip hop movement and the movement finds that funny. Cate Blanchett is on a genial level playing the double part of the filmstar and her jealous cousin. Jim Jarmusch can't be beaten. The dialogue seems to be mostly improvised, but the concept is not. Every short chapter here has a meaning and gives us something to think about. The films are in black and white, like coffee and cigarettes and that still is, and will always be, a way of pushing things harder. This is very much comedy and very much serious.