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Coffee And Cigarettes [2003]
![Coffee And Cigarettes [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TQARRF5ML._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £12.60 (subject to change)
I ENJOYED THIS A LOT
Review date: 2007-11-08 Rating: 10 out of 10
--Mild spoilers--
I haven't seen a single Jarmusch before this and have no knowledge or his style whatsoever, nor have I smoked a cigarette while drinking coffee, but I enjoyed this film immensely.
It doesn't purport to speak of grandiose themes and epic emotions, nor does it go out of its way to be deliberately offbeat and quirky; the audience has no emotional attachment to the characters and there is no plot in most of the vignettes. So what puts this film above all the pretentiously shot black-and-white art-house crap that is slugged out every year? For one thing, it is really funny. From its expressionistic colors to the dialog that proudly smacks of absurdist humor, this film is like a breeze of cool air, utterly enjoyable from the first reel to the last that does not cloy on to the heart, but is very unforgettable.
Ultimately, its unobtrusive absurdist humor, which provokes chuckles instead of heartily laughs, serves to prove the Pinter-esquire themes of the futility of communication. We get a sense that the characters are isolated and desperately trying to touch each other through their speech but ultimately failing to do so; and yet, through their manic speech patterns and delirious pauses, what is unsaid speaks more than what is said itself. While this unconventional style of humor is often difficult to pull off as it might fast become monotonous (as evident in a recent stage production of The Caretaker that I saw), Jarmusch's deft direction with his actors (from their gestures to the way they hold their coffee cups) pushes forth the humor and carries it on steadily throughout the entire film.
It is hard to say much about a film who has nothing much to say. As in my favorite segment, 'No Problem', the one with the two French black guys, their dialog only serves to underscore the meaningless and nothingness of communication. What is scary about it is that it is so accurate, that these type of conversations, however ridiculous and absurd when portrayed on screen, often typifies our daily conversations. It depresses me sometimes that human communication can be easily reduced to all these, and this film makes the point entirely clear.
So it definitely comes as a relief, that as a conclusion, the relatively more heart-warming vignette with the two old guys (Champagne) was chosen. Not only does it touches lightly on the recurring 'acoustic resonance' theme, it also hints that we may in fact touch each other, through common music or through a common idea. And it just happens that that common song was 'I have Lost Track of the World' by Gustav Mahler, an amazing piece by an amazing composer that I have just recently began to love, a delightful moment which shows that although we are as disconnected at the different vignettes in the movie, it is comforting to know that we are still united in some weird cosmic way, like this forum here. And like the two old guys, after our coffee and cigarette break in which we step into an odd world that is not really unfamiliar, we would have to step back in to the real world again. But it doesn't hurt to have a little nap in between and pretend bad coffee is champagne.
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Reviews
Classic Jarmusch
Review date: 2007-05-21 Rating: 8 out of 10
Funny, beautifully filmed in black and white, and a little eccentric. Don't expect plot, it's a quiet pondering film with no real direction. The point isn't where it takes you but to enjoy travelling with it. It may not convert anyone who isn't already a Jarmusch fan but it should entertain arthouse and indie enthusiasts.
Definitely worth buying if only for the conversation between Tom Waits and Iggy Pop.
Not for everyone, but a fun experiment
Review date: 2006-12-14 Rating: 8 out of 10
This Coffee And Cigarettes is not one of Jim Jarmusch's best. For that, I'd recommend Down By Law, Ghost Dog, Stranger Than Paradise, or the recent Broken Flowers. What this one is is a series of vignettes loosely strung around the concept of people meeting and talking over coffee and cigarettes. There's no story as such, and some of the shorts don't even have much of a point, but taken as a whole it's a pretty enjoyable film.
Everyone's favourites will differ, but I liked very much the segments with Tom Waits and Iggy Pop, Bill Murray and GZA and RZA, Jack and Meg White, and Cate Blanchett and Cate Blanchett. Also, the one with Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan was a pretty funny surprise, especially since they (as fellow Englishmen) have tea instead of coffee.
Recommended to those with some patience who don't mind a meandering, slightly aimless film. There are no explosions in this one.
One for a quiet night
Review date: 2006-06-29 Rating: 8 out of 10
A series of comedic sketches, filmed in arty black and white and revolving around the subject of coffee and cigarettes, some more successfully than others. The best ones for me were where the actors played mad caricatures of themselves; Jack White (brilliantly Johnny Depp-ish) describing a scientific device to Meg (usual bored Meg-ish performance), Steve Coogan and Alfred Molina in a very English, excruciatingly embarrassing sketch about the pitfalls of Hollywood and Cate Blanchett in an awkward meeting with a long lost cousin (also played by her). Elsewhere Roberto Benigni and Steve Wright cracked me up as a pair of coffee junkies and Steve Buscemi and Iggy Pop provided brief moments of humour. Strangely, the only real disappointment comes from Bill Murray with a lazy performance. A word of warning, don't watch this with a crowd of people, it's too slight a film to provide mass entertainment - one for a quiet night.
Cate Blanchett is great and then .. OH Dear!
Review date: 2006-01-14 Rating: 6 out of 10
Jim Jarmusch seems to like creating a feature film from a series of shorts and this one is similar to “Mystery Train”, one great short and then everything else is downhill.
However other people see this movie differently, finding it funny, deep, moving , meaningful, engaging and pretentious among other things.
I can only conclude it is a film that works on the viewers enabling them to create their own interpretation, however I find it none of these things, except for the superb “Cousins” where Cate Blanchett plays both cousins simultaneously it is just meaningless chit chat.
However it is probably worth renting for the Cate Blanchett sketch which stays in the mind, undoubtedly the most convincing case of one person playing both parts in a conversation I have ever seen.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Roberto Benigni
Steve Buscemi
Cinque Lee
Steven Wright
Joie Lee
Creators:
Roberto Benigni (Primary Contributor)
Steven Wright (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Tartan Video
Manufacturer: Tartan Video
EAN: 5023965352521
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Black & White, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2005-02-28
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Running time: 97 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2003
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)