Coffee and Cigarettes-Jim Jarmusch
I don't know why I avoided this film for so long.
It had seemingly everything that would draw me in: black and white, coffee, Wu-Tang, talent, rock musicians, avante-garde, noir, originality, and succinct dialogue.
The series of vignettes were not connected in any way and at the end it felt like watching one of those mish-mash collage posters that girls from the 90s put together to commemorate both memories and interests.
Which isn't a bad thing by any means.
The first vignette, Strange to Meet You, kind of worked to set the silly tone for the rest of the film, as Roberto Benigni (Life Is Beautiful) meets Steven Wright (Half Baked-Guy on the couch) for a cup of java in what looks to be an abandoned warehouse. They are cordial and jovial at one another's company until Steven regretfully admits that he is pressed for time thanks to a dental appointment. Ever the good friend to his compadre, Roberto offers to lighten the burden that weighs heavily upon his friend's shoulders and proposes to go to the dentist's office and take the appointment for him, as if he performing an arbitrary errand to free up Steven's schedule.
Obviously, this is impossible, but the two proceed to act as if it is normal and bid adieu to one another with joyful salutations, and off we go.
The vignettes from that point forward revolve around ridiculous subjects, awkward silence, bizarre conversations, subtle hostility, dual personalities, and moralizing against cigarette smoking. For the most part, they are pretty short and effective in their delivery. I doubt that too much rehearsing was done, and I hope that there wasn't, as it genuinely seemed as if Jarmuth gave the actors the broad strokes of the scene and trusted in their ability to create what he had in mind.
Which I believe they did.
My favorite vignettes were Somewhere In California—What? Are you saying my drummer sucks or something? No Problem—But why? Do you want something to be wrong? And, by far, my favorite vignette was "Cousins?"
That sketch, the back and forth between Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan had me in stitches. Coogan was such a piece of shit in the sketch as the high-falutin actor who thinks that a sliver of his time in an imaginarily clogged schedule to have a cup of coffee is a tremendous favor to anyone he grants it to. What a spectacular scumbag he was! Even funnier was the flip-flop Steve does once he realizes that Alfred carries far more clout within the industry as a respected lad than Steve does as an egotistical primadonna.
Coffee and Cigarettes is an original flick that doesn't demand too much of the viewer that retained a fairly deserving cult status as time has gone on. The scenes aren't asking you to look any deeper than what is on the surface and it allows you to draw your own conclusions as to who these people are, what their background is, and if there is an underlying message to be broadcast beyond the language being spoken.
Sometimes there is, sometimes there isn't.
Some may be put off by the unusual slice and dice of random scenes that bear no connection to one another, but I loved it. It was a passion project for everyone involved to flex their thespian skills within celluloid parameters that were bereft of pressure.
Needless to say, Murray mingling with GZA and RZA and going into momentary paralysis was funny as shit, but I still liked Coogan and Molina's sketch better.
Easy viewing for a hangover day when you need something on the screen while you pass minutes by on the couch.
Stars: ****
Verdict: Watch
Cousins: Four Rooms, Clerks, Sling Blade, Cats Eye, Paris, je t'aime