coffee and cigarettes

The other night I re-watched the Jim Jarmusch movie Coffee and Cigarettes. I'd tried to watch it in college 4 years ago before I enjoyed coffee or cigarettes and on a night that I felt extremely tired.

This time, I loved it! Two friends had told me they'd watched it recently and that it was very boring. I gave it a chance anyway because my personal enjoyment of actual coffee and cigarettes is so intense and because I like films and books rooted in strong character development and conversation. My own art is a little like this. I do portraits. Coffee and Cigarettes is a sort of portrait film. And it's hilarious. My favorite was the awkward conversation between the humble actor and the pretentious actor where the humble one has figured out that the two of them are like third cousins ten times removed and then has the idea that they should do a film together and also vulnerably asks the pretentious cousin to love him. Of course, the arrogant actor is a total prick and won't even give the lame 'cousin' his number, UNTIL the humble actor gets a call from Spike Jonze during the conversation over coffee and cigarettes.
I absolutely love this depiction of people and their desperate desire for power, belonging, love, success, etcetera.

The conversation involving the Rza and Bill Murray is pretty excellent too. I actually felt a bit convicted over my addiction after hearing the Rza speak the praises of alternative medicine and the curses of caffeine and nicotine.

But the latter two really do seem to quell my desperation a bit. Alas, I like movies, coffee, and cigarettes. And I've got one life to live.


photo credit- Jean Daniel