I found myself with a few hours to kill in lower Manhattan last weekend and wound up walking over to the Film Forum to see a movie called Romance And Cigarettes directed by John Turturro (or “Cigarettes and Romance” as I misnamed it to everyone for the next couple of days). I’d heard a little about the movie but had no expectations (nor did I know that the Film Forum was the only screen it was playing on in the entire country). I now feel like I’ve joined a small secret society of admirers of this mad, profane, heartbreaking and hilarious dream of a movie. I’m sure some viewers are put off by the ebullient vulgarity, or the skewed logic, or the non-singing actors breaking into song and dance. If you accept its fever dream logic however, Romance And Cigarettes is a fantastic ride populated with some of our best actors (James Gandofini, Susan Sarandon, Steve Buscemi, Kate Winslet, Christopher Walken…) having the time of their lives. It’s moving to more screens this week and if I may make a humble prediction: this is going to be a movie either loved or hated, but those who love it will hold it very dear.
Tags: James Gandolfini, movies and television, Romance And Cigarettes
November 10, 2007 at 5:02 am |
[...] s/t (World Circuit) (check out the use of El Cuarto De Tula in the brilliant new John Turturro film Romance and Cigarettes) Down In A Tenement Yard: Love And Sufferation In The Ghetto 1973-1980 (Trojan) Pearls Before Swine [...]