SMOKE

1995, Comedy-Drama, 112 min'
Wayne Wang, Paul Auster

A loud customer making a cigarettes speech, an ENJOY- A- CIGAR sign hanging in the back wall and one guy behind the counter. BROOKLYN CIGAR CO, a small New York tobacco shop. Come in or come out. Everybody has a story to tell… with a cigarette in their mouths. Auggie Wren (Harvey Keitel) is the shop manager. Every morning, at 8pm sharp, he’s standing across the street from the shop, taking only one picture. Never mind who’s passing by. That is his project, black and white pictures. They might look the same, but they’re not the same. “Different stories for different people” as he puts it.  Paul Benjamin (William Hurt) is a known writer, a devoted smoker and a loner. He comes in the shop for his usual two packs and a small conversation with Auggie. After saving his life, he decides to take in a young boy to his apartment in hoping of paying back a due. The young boy, Rashid, (harold perrineau) is searching for something, sketching away his journey for the find. Everybody has a story to tell...

Browsing last night through Netflix I came across this American independent film, also starring Forest Whitaker and Stockard Channing. The atmosphere of New York City streets combining an excellent bunch of witty and sincere characters made the film very enjoyable to watch. Roller accompanied by the rusty voice of Tom Waits singing “you’re innocent when you dream”. A closure that says it all.

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