...engaging and discerning culture, as a way of life...

March 04, 2006

Smoke - 7

This is a film with a few vignettes connected by a cigar shop owner. Each of the stories involves treating others with grace and trust. In some ways similar to Grand Canyon. In each of these stories the characters are confronted with choices that will have a big impact on their lives. Each of them have developed the character to do what comes naturally to them, to be honest and try to show grace to others as it has been shown to them. What this film is able to do is show some of the struggle these choices are, and how rarely we understand our own choices this way. The closing sequence of storytelling, first in conversation and then on film, is well done and ties the film together.

3 comments:

Jason said...

Didn't Paul Auster write this or direct it (or both)? He's a grade-A novelist. I'll lend you his novella collection ("the New York Trilogy") because it's awesome.

~greg said...

The officaially listed director is Wayne Wang, but it looks like he worked closely with Auster.

Hat tip to Gideon Strauss for suggesting the film.

Rebecca said...

Grand Canyon is a great flick! It is such a warm, wonderful movie.