While this movie is not precisely "entertaining" according to what most people understand as "entertaining". IMO it's a wonderul little movie. A collection of vignettes that revolves around the now almost extinct (in particular in the USA) tradition of drinking a coffee and smoking a cigarette.
You know, I am a coffee lover, not really a smoker, though. I love to go to cafes to drink a cup (or two) of fine coffee (not that crap from Starbucks) in a traditional coffee shop. There you can chat, play chess, to read, to listen music or what other people says, to behold how they behave, to meet friends etc.
And this film just confirmed what I witnessed for a long while: The way you drink your coffee: capuccino, espresso, alone or accompanied, with milk or cream, with sugar or sugar free, decaffeinated or black, lukewarm or really hot, with liquor (cognac, rum, whisky) or not, etc. As I've said before all that speaks volumes about the personality and state of mind of that person in particular. Something you can clearly see in this movie.
Take for example the segment with Cate Blanchett; "Shelly" a sort of rebel drinks black coffee with a lot of sugar. What does it says about her? Perhaos that she is rough only on the surface but soft inside? And what about "Cate", she's too picky and drinks her coffee only with milk. Kinda snobby don't you think? Does that reflects their personalities? I'd say so.
Or what about those hip-hop musicians who doesn't drink coffee nor smoke cigarettes because it's not healthy, But a joint is ok!
All that without mentioning that while drinking a coffee you can reinforce the friendship with your pals, to bring the solutions for all the problems of humankind (If only while the coffee lasts), to be inspired to create something beautiful, to declare your love for that particular girl, to philosophize about the meaning of life, to take a decision that might change your life, and so on.
I could go and on analyzing each vignette, but I guess you got my point. If you didn't, I can do nothing else for you.
I really enjoyed this movie even when on the surface apparently is no more relevant than a cup of coffee and a cigarette...
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Foxxo
15 years ago
A lot can be taken from how characters drink their coffee, but ultimately you understand each one by watching how they interact, or even how they act when alone.
For instance in the Cate Blanchett vignette, it is obvious that each one portrays an image of themselves when at the top of their respective lives. In fact, Cate even mentions at one point "The Grass is always greener", which makes sense. Both cousins envy the others life, while still trying to earn the respect of the other with their current life. Basically, this whole vignette is about two cousins who share an extremely strong bond and want nothing more than each others approval. However, both are too stubborn to really admit it.
I think the best instance of coffee as a showcase of personality is in the Renee scene. She is condescending towards the waiter who, obviously infatuated with her, accidentally spoils her coffee by giving her more. She is snobby, having to have perfect coffee and getting angry with someone who is just looking to help. This continues as the waiter again tries to be nice, and is met with rudeness. However even this is incomplete, because at the very end you see her finally look away from the magazine and out the window. There is an overwhelming sensation that this rock hard exterior is a defense mechanism, and that she actually likes the attention and is open to more of it.
All in all though, I'm definitely re-watching it with the coffee in mind. I think there is probably a bit more too it because there are quite a few shots from overhead which give a clear look at a cups interior.
Wulf_Man
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nesbitt-m2
15 years ago
I actually thought this movie was massively entertaining, but not in the way we might expect. I think i'm becoming increasingly prejudice against mainstream American/ hollywood film-makers, but i'm bored with those kinds of films.
Coffee and Cigarettes to me was like a jazz record; cool, loose, experimental, exciting... when you listen to 'Kind of Blue' you have some of the most amazing performers playing their turn, much like the brief solo's we have here by Blanchett, Murray, Coogan etc...
Inevitably, films like this won't appeal to a wide audience base, but thank god there are film-makers out there who can make these kinds of films.
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PoppyTransfusion
10 years ago
I think the best instance of coffee as a showcase of personality is in the Renee scene. She is condescending towards the waiter who, obviously infatuated with her, accidentally spoils her coffee by giving her more. She is snobby, having to have perfect coffee and getting angry with someone who is just looking to help. This continues as the waiter again tries to be nice, and is met with rudeness. However even this is incomplete, because at the very end you see her finally look away from the magazine and out the window. There is an overwhelming sensation that this rock hard exterior is a defense mechanism, and that she actually likes the attention and is open to more of it.
What rubbish! Renee is having a quiet coffee. She's very particular about her coffee and the waiter spoils her coffee, not waiting for her to decline more. He then makes a pest of himself having not read the cues that she is not interested in him. And why should she be?
A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.
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