Smoke (1995)
Overview
Writer Paul Benjamin is nearly hit by a bus when he leaves Auggie Wren's smoke shop. Stranger Rashid Cole saves his life, and soon middle-aged Paul tells homeless Rashid that he wouldn't mind a short-term housemate. Still grieving over his wife's murder, Paul is moved by both Rashid's quest to reconnect with his father and Auggie's discovery that a woman who might be his daughter is about to give birth.
Cast
Harvey Keitel
Augustus 'Auggie' Wren
William Hurt
Paul Benjamin
Stockard Channing
Ruby McNutt
Harold Perrineau
Thomas 'Rashid' Cole
Forest Whitaker
Cyrus Cole
Giancarlo Esposito
1st OTB Man / Tommy
José Zúñiga
2nd OTB Man / Jerry
Stephen Gevedon
OTB Man #3 / Dennis
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Filipe Manuel Neto
**A set of stories, more than a story made up of stories.**
This film reminded me, in a certain way, of a polite version of “Clerks”, an unorthodox comedy where everything revolves around a convenience store, a video club and two employees from those same stores. Here, everything revolves around Auggie Wren's tobacconist, who takes a picture of the shop every day, at the same time. In one of them, by chance, the deceased wife of one of the store's customers appears who, after being saved from being run over by a boy, decides to help him.
The film is discreet, does not have great cinematography resources, nor visuals. Everything here revolves around the characters, their individual stories, the way they intersect and interconnect. The script is very important for the film, but the work of the actors cannot be overlooked either. Harvey Keitel does a very worthy and well-executed job, and William Hurt, Harold Perrineau and Forest Whitaker follow him closely, so we have a good cast working hard. The big problem with this movie is that it really doesn't have much more to offer. For those who like films that are very much based on characters, their behavior, their stories, and well-written dialogues, the film is wonderful. For anyone hoping this all boils down to a story that is more than a set of stories, the film may be disappointing.
