Romance & Cigarettes

Construction worker Nick Murder (James Gandolfini) is married with Kitty (Susan Sarandon) and has three daughters. However one day Kitty discovers a written message Nick sent to another woman. After a fire where he takes service as a fireman with his best friend Angelo (Steve Buscemi) he goes again to his mistress Tula (Kate Winslet), and she asks Nick to choose between her or his wife. Nick has to choose between the extramarital affair or redemption, and has to do it before it's too late.

ROMANCE AND CIGARETTES is quite a strange experiment in its own way. From the plot it looks like a sentimental comedy yet it has also drama moments and looks a bit like a musical. This blending of genres worked greatly and I have to say it, I have never seen something like this before! The cast is full of great names (James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Steve Buscemi, Kate Winslet, Christopher Walken in an explosive cameo as Sarandon's cousin who loves singing even in restaurants, Eddie Izzard, Elaine Stritch and Mary Louise Parker) which gives all entertaining performances. The direction by John Turturro (who even has a brief cameo as a male dancer) is slick and fluid.

If you are in the right mindset, you might probably love this movie especially if you want to see something unique.

John Turturro I watch you closely, performances were excellent brilliant casting of stars, and a laugh a minute. I've recommended it to many friends and periodically watch it again, im a big movie buff. I know performance fairly well and The Who's who in it speaks to a special audience I'm sure, any open minded comedy lover would adore Miss Winslet and the late James Gandolfini, just read the names of the entire cast expect their best under Mr Turturros direction and Brooklyese sense of humor, this movies KILLS! A saluda to the cast and writer director John Turturro. I have type 600 or more characters, where I had jut arrived. See this movie I promise you a beautiful experience, a laugh a minute, meticulously delivered, James n Kate explode, Chris Walken need I say more?

John Turturro has created something very special here. Look at the cast list. The names alone make it a must-see for many cinema lovers, yet the description of musical might also put many off. Well don't worry. This film uses existing songs to enhance emotional statements at intervals throughout this gritty film. It mixes them with Brooklyn working life, some sex, lots of humour and pathos and fantastically it all works. The songs are used a la Dennis Potter and seep in and out of the narrative flow as easily as a gentle voice-over. Great performances by everyone but stunners from Kate Winslet (now that's a proper body), Elaine Stritch ("Every breath is a victory") and Christopher Walken, always riveting. James Gandolfini plays a slightly different Tony Soprano but that fits in just right. Quite simply a pleasure from first 'til last. Thank you John.

Good music, well-choreographed dancing, quirky sense of humor, a little dark. A bunch of good actors are giving a solid performance. They appear to have enjoyed themselves. Susan Sarandon is great, Kate Winslet deliciously foul-mouthed. The photography is mostly very aesthetic, although of course not as perfect as that of the Coen brothers, who produced the movie. The movie fits well into the universe of the Coen brothers' work while having its own special character. Good job, John Turturro, a very enjoyable movie! I wasn't aware of Turturro as a director. IMDb shows he has made two earlier movies, in 1992 and 1998 (both as a director and a writer, just as with this present movie). Those movies had low scores. After Romance & Cigarettes I will be keeping my eyes open for this new director. As the title suggests, there is a lot of smoking in this movie, but it can hardly be seen as positive advertising for the tobacco industry, fortunately. Conservative Christians had better avoid this movie, it would only upset them. An 8 out of 10.

This is funny in a way that American movies usually aren't. Gandolfini is playing a character extremely far away from all Soprano stuff. But he's a hero.

He's cheating on his wife in a way which isn't glamorous, just rather cheap and rather human. Susan Sarandon as the wife is really funny through all her love-hate. This family is dysfunctional, but in a way that's impossible not to like.

And it really is a musical. Sometimes. The characters burst out, miming to hit songs. That's show stoppers, but in the good sense of the word. It's all worth seeing.