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.

This was an independent film that appeared in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, all I knew about it was that it had some great names in the cast, and that it was recommended by critics, so I looked forward to watching it, from director Wayne Wang (Maid in Manhattan, Last Holiday). Basically the plot revolves around characters associated in some way with each other and a cigar store in New York, all these characters and subplots are woven together and drift and swirl like ethereal smoke from a cigar. Augustus 'Auggie' Wren (Harvey Keitel) is the manager of the store who has developed a "project" where he photographs the same spot outside his store at the same time every day, and nothing in his day to day life changes until past flame Ruby McNutt (Stockard Channing) comes visiting. Paul Benjamin (William Hurt) is a writer suffering from writer's block, and he is introduced to young African American drifter 'Rashid', real name Thomas Cole (Lost's Harold Perrineau) who saves his life, and he allows the young man to stay with him, while at the same time trying to find something to write about. Ruby comes to tell Auggie that she gave birth to a daughter, and that he is the father, and she wants some money, a few thousand, to help her struggling daughter Felicity (Ashley Judd) who is addicted to alcohol and drugs, and after some time he does help her. Rashid hides a package in Paul's apartment, this is money that he stole from criminal The Creeper (Malik Yoba), who does find the apartment and threaten Paul at gunpoint before being arrested, Rashid is trying to better himself, he manages to get a job in the cigar store, and he also hangs around outside the garage of mechanic Cyrus (Forest Whitaker), who lost his left arm in a car crash with his wife. Rashid, aka Thomas, will not reveal to Cyrus that he is his son, so Paul and Auggie go along with him to the garage, and the truth does come out, Cyrus is at first very angry, but the argument settles during a lunch with him and his new family. The final scene sees Auggie with Paul in a café telling him a story that he could use in a new Christmas themed book, and he tells a story of how a young man stole from his store, dropped his wallet, and some time later he tried to return it, an old lady answered and being blind assumed it was the young man, he went along with it and spent Christmas together, before leaving he took a camera from a pile in the bathroom, and when Auggie returned the next year she had died, a silent montage sees that this tale was true. Also starring Giancarlo Esposito as Tommy, José Zúñiga as Jerry and Stephen Gevedon as Dennis. The cast all do their parts very well, Keitel being cool and collected, Hurt being concerned and suppressed, Perrineau being mysterious and likable, Channing being needy and sporting an eye-patch, and Judd being feisty and nasty. There is no specific story, but the plot is all put together very well, how the characters connect together in some way is clever, the writing is witty and all the dialogue is engaging, it reminded me of something like Clerks, a near one location film where all you need is talking, it is a really interesting a most watchable drama. Very good!

An inspired script by Paul Auster, directed by Wayne Wang. There are excellent performances by a large ensemble cast that includes Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Forest Whitaker, Stockard Channing, Ashley Judd, and other great character actors I've never heard of.The problem with the movie is that it barely hangs together on the thread of a tobacco store. The philosophical issue is whether you think your life has meaning, starts at the beginning, goes to the end, and you get your reward; or whether you think your life is a series of happenstances that may not be related at all to what's gone before and that you don't build on, but go through and learn from. Maybe.Keitel plays Auggie, the owner of the smoke shop, and the cast of characters comes into his store and his life, and they smoke and tell stories. Most of the stories work - some of them are told, but many of them are 'shown' as the character spins the yarn. Some of the stories didn't work for me, but the promise of more kept me hanging in.This is a quiet movie, a thinker's movie. If you've lived a life that's had its ups and downs, you'll fit right in. Who knows - one of the stories they tell may be yours. And Tom Waits's "You're Beautiful When You Dream" will break your heart.Auster wrote, among other screenplays, "Lulu on the Bridge" (which he also directed), and Wang directed "Joy Luck Club" and a number of other quiet movies.

In 'Smoke' writer Paul Auster and director Wayne Wang create a slice of life. The film is divided in chapters, each focussing on a different character. It isn't done randomly as all the down to earth characters are part of the story. 'Smoke' has a whimsical touch to it. It looks like a simplistic painting or a photograph that tells the story of one's daily life and their certain unique circumstances. The movie looks authentic. It does not have the typical Hollywood glossy feel to it. It's more like a walk down the lives of these simple yet wonderful characters. Harvey Keitel is terrific as the cigar store owner and amateur photographer. William Hurt is equally remarkable as a writer who hasn't published a novel since the demise of his wife. Harold Perrineau Jr. holds his own as the young Rashid Cole who forms a friendship with Hurt's Paul Benjamin and Keitel's Augie Wren. Forest Whitaker is excellent as Cole's hardworking father with one arm and Stockard Channing is great as Augie's former lover. The cinematography is simplistic and yet it works brilliantly and the soundtrack itself is another huge plus as it gives voice to the mood of the scene. The visuals of the city only add to the charm. Overall 'Smoke' is a charming slice of life and by the end it ends up bringing a smile to the viewer's face. We don't see the characters living happily ever after but we notice their growth and becoming better human beings.