Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

christopher-underwood I probably last saw this upon its theatrical release and it was a pleasure to watch it again on Blu- ray. Once more I was so impressed with William Hurt who seems to respond to the fine writing of Paul Auster, accepting with some glee that he is playing his alter ego, and producing such a believable, humane, intelligent and involving performance. Keitel is very good too, probably a little nervy in some of the near improvised cigar shop scenes but brilliant in the more one to one story telling vignettes. Although difficult areas including death, self harm and family disorder are covered, the writing is so good that we are able to become involved and keen to see how things develop without any preaching or moralising. So much of the film is typical Auster but in particular the central 'Christmas story', which is actually told at the end, and the whole cigar shop photography aspect. We share with Hurt, as he looks through the thousands of similar snapshots, first incredulity and then a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the seeming mundane. Marvellous and I will resist the awful word 'heart-warming' - oops!

Chris L Smoke deals with some intertwined destinies that, unfortunately, are never really convincing. One wonders, most of the time, where Wayne Wang and his writer wanted to go, what was the message they wanted to deliver trough these story lines, often composed of laborious and contrived dialogues, that hardly combine, that all lack substance and that even sometimes turn out to be frankly uninteresting as Auggie's ex-wife. The latter, embodied by the excellent Harvey Keitel, is, by the way, the most touching and interesting character, behind the best scene in the movie when he tells his unexpected Christmas to his friend Paul. A certain sincerity emerges from Smoke but it is not enough to compensate for the lacks of this pseudo comedy-drama.

pontifikator An inspired script by Paul Auster, directed by Wayne Wang. There are excellent performances by a large ensemble cast that includes Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Forest Whitaker, Stockard Channing, Ashley Judd, and other great character actors I've never heard of.The problem with the movie is that it barely hangs together on the thread of a tobacco store. The philosophical issue is whether you think your life has meaning, starts at the beginning, goes to the end, and you get your reward; or whether you think your life is a series of happenstances that may not be related at all to what's gone before and that you don't build on, but go through and learn from. Maybe.Keitel plays Auggie, the owner of the smoke shop, and the cast of characters comes into his store and his life, and they smoke and tell stories. Most of the stories work - some of them are told, but many of them are 'shown' as the character spins the yarn. Some of the stories didn't work for me, but the promise of more kept me hanging in.This is a quiet movie, a thinker's movie. If you've lived a life that's had its ups and downs, you'll fit right in. Who knows - one of the stories they tell may be yours. And Tom Waits's "You're Beautiful When You Dream" will break your heart.Auster wrote, among other screenplays, "Lulu on the Bridge" (which he also directed), and Wang directed "Joy Luck Club" and a number of other quiet movies.

mustafa_er It is important to me because this wonderful film is filled with thought provoking dialogs, and a very good story, amazing cast, great characters, with wonderful depth of feelings.This movie is a slow paced film , this is a quiet film that works, and that works very well. The movie is a little slow at times you may think, and indeed it is, but it really hooks you in and keeps you watching. A brilliant flick that relies more on simple, character-driven plot than action and crash-boom-bang. SMOKE is not a real adventure, not a real drama, not a real comedy, not a real cops movie, and not a real action movie as well. It's about life. But in a real way, and surprisingly not boring. I have seen it many times and keep watching it because I love its celebration of the simple pleasures of life: friendships, good conversation and normal human relations. Smoke is not a complex or experimental film, just a beautiful and simple portrayal of humanity. Nothing more nothing less. This is an actors movie, and they all do an incredible job.Best bit for me : I especially love the Christmas sequence at the end where the film reaches a sublime conclusion in a tender Christmas story narrated by Keitel and supported by Tom Waits' haunting song "Innocent When You Dream". I love this bit. Makes me cry like a girl. So moving, so touching, so heartwarming, so bitter-sweet.Watch this movie, watch it carefully. It has great characters, a great script, played by a flawless cast, and no doubt it is beautifully directed. Beautiful, beautiful movie. Unmissable ! "Smoke" is/was truly one of the best movies of 90's. I would recommend this film to people of all ages. I'm impressed. You will be impressed. And, oh yes, the Christmas STORY at the end WILL MAKE YOU CRY !!