Trees Lounge

source: Trees Lounge

This movie was interesting. It is about a semi-alcoholic (Buscemi)who throws away his life hanging out at a local bar in a small town outside of New York City. I liked the way he was portrayed of being liked and despised at the same time. The main character obviously came from a well established Italian-American family in the community. So, people know and associate with him, but at the same time are wary of him because he appears to be a "loser". The main character was once a very good mechanic, but lost his job when he stole money from the garage's till. The owner (Lapaglia) is torn. He is guilt-ridden, because not only did he steal the main character's girlfriend, but also is sorry to see his former friend throwing away his life drinking at the local bar. I also like all the supporting cast. There is a great deal of sorrow displayed in this old man, who is obviously beyond hope. When the old man is finally dying, all the locals who pretended to like him at the bar really are discovered to have not cared at all. The things that detracted from the movie was that the main character was immature and irresponsible. It was hard to empathize with a guy who does drugs and sleeps with a seventeen year old girl. In addition, there was a lot of lack of clarity in the film. Who was the main character in relation to the ice cream man who suddenly died. He is obviously treated like a family member, but no explanation is given as to whom he actually is. If someone just said that is "the nephew", it would have resolved a lot of confusion. So, the movie was interesting, but suffered from a lack of empathy for the plight of the main character, and confusion about whom exactly he is. I would have liked to seen more shown to illustrate what led him to where he ended up as.

Just what the hell is Trees Lounge about? A man looking for a job? A man looking for love? The answer is yes. But just what is the plot? I'm not sure...(Warning: Possible spoiler) The movie is confusing and offers no real solutions about the problems encountered by the man character. One good thing about the movie is Buschemi, an excellent actor, but not such a good writer. He plays the part of Tommy wonderfully, and believably. While this is not necessarily a bad film, it is a confusing one. The point: The acting is superb, the script isn't.

Steve Buscemi plays an incorrigible alcoholic. He's not the stumbling drunk type, just the type to spend every waking moment in a bar known as Trees Lounge. He makes one bad decision after another and his current station in life is a result of those bad decisions. I found nothing particularly endearing about the movie or its characters. This movie is a PSA more than anything.

Having reviewed the comments others have written on this movie it is apparent that quite of few people love this movie and quote a few think it was awful. I am somewhere in between. Steve Buscemi is certainly a multi talented actor and this movie also demonstrates his directing ability. The movie doesn't really have a plot as such, more so it follows the life of Tommy (Buscemi) and the characters that are intertwined into his dull, boring sad existence. I think what some people will dislike about the movie is that it does not have a closure to the storyline (possible spoiler here) rather it leaves us at a crossroad for Tommy which the movie has tracked to this point. There are a number of impressive cameo's and supporting actors in the movie (Samuel L Jackson is again superb in his brief cameo), Anthony LaPaglia is very good as Rob. The sleeper here though is Chloe Sevigny. She looks the goods and her romantic involvement with Tommy provides us with the only real character development of the movie (and demonstrates the vulnerable side to Tommy). As I said, I am sitting on the fence on this movie. I didn't really like it (the plot was to put it frankly boring). I did however find the manner in which the movie finished interesting as the lead character could have a number of outcomes of which you are left guessing. Watch it but not when you are sleepy, you may just nod off.

Steve Buscemi plays a loser who hangs around a bar called the Trees Lounge, who keeps making his own life worse. He picks fights with his friends, loses jobs, and generally gets drunk and gets into trouble. There's a great scene where Buscemi takes a job as an ice-cream truck driver, he's completely the wrong person to do the job. Still, the movie doesn't really have many happy or fun moments, it's the portrayal of a guy who just doesn't care anymore and wants to spend his time hanging around a bar with a bunch of other regulars with no aim in life but the next drink. This movie is not as fun, clever, interesting or memorable as it could have been, it's hard to care about any of the characters, they live such boring, banal lives, and there aren't any quotable lines in the movie. It is worth watching once, however.

Trees Lounge is absolutely one of the worst movies I have seen. There was nothing redeeming or remotely funny about this film. The only thing that kept me from shutting the movie off was waiting for Samual Jackson's cameo and even that was disappointing! I like Buscemi but this is not the way to see his talents.

Small town deadbeat Tommy, spends the majority of his time drinking at the Trees Lounge and trying to find comfort with anything in a skirt. Meanwhile his ex-best friend is with his ex-girlfriend who may or may not be carrying Tommy's child. Tommy drifts day to day before finding himself a job and a new friend. This was Buscemi's first attempt as director and is semi-autobiographical in it's plot. Plot, however is a poor way to describe this film's story. Rather it is an amusing character piece, following Tommy through his life. Tommy is likeable but is also selfish, clueless, aimless and friendless. We like him because he has a good loser-quality to him that brings part sympathy and part empathy. During the film he hurts many through his selfish actions and his life is consistently aimless and pointless. However it still manages to be interesting because of Tommy. Even when I didn't care about him the story had enough good support characters and goings on to keep me interested. Buscemi as actor is just as good – doing a weasely version of himself but managing to keep him just likeable enough to get by. It something about the way that Tommy clearly hurts himself all the way that makes it hard to dislike him. The support cast are all very good. Junior, Kane et al do well as the various barflies while LaPaglia, Bracco, Baldwin, Imperioli, Rogers and Jackson all deliver well on their various roles. Sevingy is very good again in another sexually laced child role – but I'm glad she's not been typecast too much since Kids. Overall this is plot light but is still interesting, amusing and enjoyable. Buscemi directs with a light touch and keeps everything light until the sombre final shot.

Some guy loses his girlfriend, his job and now drinks all day in a boring bar. He then inherits an ice cream van from his deceased uncle and drives around the streets half-bored selling sweets. This is a perfect example that illustrates good actors don't necessarily make good films! The characters are weak, the story told a thousand times before and the complete luck of active plot makes the film suitable only for TV on a Sunday afternoon. Buscemi fails to push the actors to their limits resulting in a 'soap opera' style performance which is well below the average. Most of the scenes were pointless and contributed nothing to the film. Trees Lounge could have started straight after Tommy inherited the Van (thirty minutes before the end) and still wouldn't make any difference! If you do end up watching the film just imagine how the film would be like if Tarantino directed it. Better watch TV commercials :(

Watched this with some trepidation, having seen the absolutely excellent trailer. So few movies live up to their trailers, especially indies. Anxiety increased by having read Buscemi's fairly harrowing account of making the film in one of those 'The Directors' books. Shouldn't have worried. Great flick. Totally engrossing, especially to a *cough* former *cough* barfly like myself. Beautifully understated, funny, very sad, nicely paced and Buscemi very wisely NOT trying to dominate every scene, although he certainly dominates the movie. Movie appears on first sight plot less but actually it isn't at all: Buscemi's search for a second chance to escape from the morass of his own making is riveting. Everyone involved seems to have had a good time and the beautifully relaxed performances are the reward. Only the two knucklehead goombahs fall below the otherwise uniformly excellent level. A real treat, and thoroughly watchable-again able. My DVD was in TV format, which sucked, but otherwise the low budget doesn't really intrude. Nearest movie to it I can think of offhand is KILLING OF A Chinese BOOKIE. Radically different subject matter but similar bittersweet texture. A slightly, but only slightly, generous 9/10 from me.