Reviews (38)

Imitate a Cat Puking!
I first saw this movie on HBO and I loved it ever since. It is certainly one of the most funniest movies I've ever seen and Parker Posey, who is now, because of this film, one of my favorite actresses, is simply charming as the paranoid party girl Mary. One of the funniest scenes I've ever seen is where her roommate Leo goes to talk to a big club owner and he is just hilarious with the whole "imitate a cat puking" thing. Im not going to give anything away! There is a few instances where she uses drugs, and there is very very brief nudity. But, other than that, its a great indie film and deserves to be seen. One of my favorites for sure!

A Side Order of Babaganoush
This has got to be one of the most innovative and tongue-in-cheek independent films of all time. I didn't know anything of the film until last year, and totally got the reason why it was revered as a cult classic among those with brains and a sense of humor.

The great thing about this movie is the leading lady, Parker Posey. Anyone who doesnt crack up the moment she opens her mouth has obviously had a seriously deprived childhood. Among all contemporary actresses, theres not one that has the instinctive comic likeability and timing that Posey has. Well, maybe Lisa Kudrow, but shes busy wasting away her life on 'Friends'.

Parker plays Mary, a Party Girl to reckon with ('I'm a girl who parties like a man', the film's soundtrack tells us). However, with bills to pay and the feeling of self-worth to satisfy, Mary falls at the feet of her godmother, who gives her a job at the library. While the film itself is irreverent, the wondrous job it extracts from its' leading cast is superb. Parker's Middle Eastern lover, her gay best friend, and her English DJ room-mate, all spicen up the proceedings, as Mary works her way through this thing called life, only to discover that the only thing that really matters is the ability to party the best you can.

Aside from spouting some of the most unfortgettable one-liners, Parker's sullen performance as a librarian, and her transformation into a care-a-hang nightlife girl is extremely watchable. I personally preferred her performance here to the more respected one she gave in the dark 'The House of Yes'. Its also far better and substantial than the one she gave us in 'Henry Fool'.

The film also has a stunning soundtrack. The only pity is that it is not yet available on DVD. While other Parker flicks such as 'Best in Show', 'Clockwatchers' and even 'Guffman' are all getting the DVD treatment, its high time someone woke up and put this to digital disc.

Highly recommended.

Funny Flick
Mary is not a librarian but a library clerk who later aspires to be a librarian. It was nice to see the professional get a little bit of respect in such a humorous way.

library propaganda with a side of romance
Mary wants nothing more out of life than to party 'til she drops. Unfortunately, she lands herself in jail and needs her godmother's help for the bail. However, she draws the line at giving Mary more money, and a penniless Mary finds herself agreeing to work at the same library her godmother works at. For a while, Mary exists as a Party Girl at night and a librarian by day. None of her friends see her as anything other than the Party Girl, and it's only after she starts working at the library that she starts to see herself as someone with a future.

Granted, this movie definitely has problems. The romance with the falafel salesman is weak, and it's not exactly a subtle movie. Mary and her friends can be absolutely clueless (everyone's mentioned the "Imitate a cat puking" bit, but I'll mention it again - I discovered that it was possible to laugh and cringe at the same time). As someone who works in the library, however, I have to say that some of the library humor is really fabulous. I can't count how many times I've wanted to do what Mary did and give the people who reshelve things just anywhere a piece of my mind. All the librarians I know who've seen this movie have loved it, so, if you work at a library, I would definitely suggest seeing this. If you don't work at a library, there's still a lot here that's worth seeing, although the movie may rate more of a three for you.

Very stupid!
Rated 1 star. As low as it gets at rating these movies. I am trying to resell this at another website. Best to rent or borrow from local library. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Knife in the head = a stabbing headache
As "Jesus' Son" began, I braced myself for yet one more depressing character study of low-life, substance-addicted losers a la "Panic In Needle Park", "Barfly", "Sid and Nancy" or "(insert name of your favorite Gus van Sant film here)". However,as the movie unfolded I realized that I was watching the kind of subtle yet picaresque tale that has been MIA in American cinema since the 70's..."Scarecrow", "Two-Lane Blacktop", "Rancho Deluxe", etc. The chameleon-like Billy Crudup scores as the chronically underachieving antihero, delivering his first-person voiceover in a non-linear "verite" style. Samantha Morton ("Sweet & Lowdown") gives a notable performance as Crudup's enabling junkie girlfriend. The irrepressible Jack Black continues his reign as the Thinking Man's Chris Farley with a memorable turn as a manic,pill popping hospital orderly with interesting ideas about "prepping" patients. Great cameos abound, including a virtually unrecognizable Denis Leary (who for once goes a little deeper than just playing himself). Quite rewarding for patient viewers.

A Drugstore Cowboy for the '00s
It's hard to believe that Drugstore Cowboy was released as long ago as 1989. Just as Trainspotting was described as a "Drugstore Cowboy for the '90s", it's tempting to describe Jesus' Son as a "Drugstore Cowboy for the '00s". Like Gus Van Sant's now-classic film, the story revolves around two heroin addicts (Billy Crudup and Samantha Morton, both excellent), it's set in the somewhat recent past (the '70s instead of the '60s) and it's based on a previously existing literary source; in this case, Denis Johnson's short story collection of the same name. But despite everything -- mostly bad -- that "FH" (Crudup) experiences throughout the course of the film, Jesus' Son is more of a character study (Crudup also serves as the narrator). Some may still find it just as off-putting as Drugstore Cowboy, which didn't seem to judge its characters. But Jesus' Son isn't as concerned with FH's drug use as much as his very character, his nature -- his "essence", if you will. And if you can't find anything to love about the hapless FH, you'll probably feel the same way about Alison Maclean's striking film (after the well received, but little seen Crush). As in High Fidelity, Jack Black provides much of the humor, although Crudup proves himself surprisingly adept at comedy in a few choice moments. Dennis Hopper, Denis Leary and Holly Hunter (in a well acted, but not particularly convincing role) also star. Fans of The Panic in Needle Park (featuring Al Pacino in his first lead performance), Vincent Gallo's loopy Buffalo 66 and, especially, Drugstore Cowboy should find much to enjoy. Joe Henry's fine soundtrack only sweetens the deal, the highlight of which must surely be Tommy Roe's funky "Sweet Pea", to which Ms. Morton (as Michelle) does *quite* the dance, drawing FH into her dangerously compelling world without saying a word.

Sidenote: The Velvet Underground's "Heroin", in which Lou Reed proclaims that he feels "just like Jesus' Son" when he's "rushing on [his] run", isn't featured in either the film or on the soundtrack.

Dark laughter: tears: redemption
My first take on first viewing was: right, I want to watch a movie about some disgusting, sleazy, young idiots. The sex. The violence. The drugs. And then, you start to pay attention to the narrator's voice, and you begin to understand the intelligence, the attempt at a philosopy of life that lies behind the voice. And you laugh as a dead guy gets beat up in a corn field.
I own two movies--the other is John Huston's "The Dead". I only buy movies that have enough complexity in script, acting, and production, that you can watch over and over and still see new things.
This is a movie that changes gears on you constantly. One viewing will not suffice.
I still scream with laughter when I see it, and I still weep.

"Have your ticket in your hand...
. . .Before it is too late" ~ That line comes from the Woodie Guthrie tune, Airline To Heaven,(performed by Wilco)that plays over the end credits of Jesus' Son. It captures the flavor of this movie, & it sums up the blend of hope, loss, faith & acceptance of life ~ not only for drug guzzling "losers", but for any & everyone.

The late 60's/early 70's didn't exactly corner the market on lost weirdo's who found solace behind a substance-induced mask of happiness. One of my closest friends IS that character that Denis Leary plays ~ sometimes comical, sometimes tragic. Just like this movie.

Jesus' Son offers the really straight, by-the-numbers people a little insight into the people & lives that those folks usually avoid & disregard; "only bad people use drugs".

Not so.

It's also interesting to watch a movie that has character's using a variety of street drugs that was made at a time, currently, that is, when most young people in this culture have been heavily bombarded with anti-drug/"War On Drugs" propaganda, & have been steadily for about twenty yrs or so . . yet the story is of an era where that level of propaganda wasn't as pervasive & all encompassing as it is today.

Well, anyway, other people have already written better reviews of this than I could, or have, but I had to write something about this heartfelt little movie.
"Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine, we'll understand it all by & by"

"I Feel Just Like Jesus' Son"
If you came of age (or nearly did) in the 60's, you may recall a moment--very likely sometime in the early 70's, unless you were extremely prescient and saw it coming earlier--when all the hippie idealism pretty much just dissolved before your eyes and was replaced by...well, whatever it was replaced by. I recall being actually kind of angry at all these small town stoners whose only countercultural value was, quite frankly, drug taking. Society was not about to undergo a profound spiritual transformation at their hands. Of course, it was scarcely about to at anyone else's either...but who knew back then?

Lost souls like JESUS SON'S "FH" were really not uncommon back in the day. They may not have been uncommon back in any day. But the 60s and early 70s brand was perhaps a little more noticeable and, in some senses, sympathetic because of their vaguely anti-establishment stance. For a brief moment in history, outcasts were almost taken seriously. These people really did exist. As surreal as JESUS' SON sometimes gets, it remains grounded in its very vivid, very authentic characters.

Yes, there were certain junkie truths that ultimately became cinematic cliches. The numrerous OD's, the failed love relationships and the sporadic attempts at redemption are all elements of JESUS' SON. And yet, they come across as less cliched in this particular druggie film than in some others. Perhaps it's because the acting is almost uniformly excellent--with leads, Billy Crudup and Samantha Morton, deserving of particular praise. Perhaps too it's, at least in part, because FH's ultimate redemption is a plausible one. Out of rehab, he gets a job in a different kind of rehabilitation center, a home for sufferers of rare neurological diseases. It is finally there that he realizes that there may indeed be a place in the world for people like him.

Many viewers will find the final, sobered up segment of the film a little weaker dramatically than the drug addled scenes that precede it. That's true, but the end is also something of a relief. FH would surely have joined the ranks of his fallen comrades in arms had it not been for rehab and the chance at a new life in a new city. It's the kind of ending you could call "bittersweet"--if you use terminology like that. It's also one of only two possible endings for someone like "FH"--and, like him, you're grateful for that much.

When I first heard of this movie, I immediately recognized the source of the title as being a line from Lou Reed's "Heroin." I was disappointed, at first, to see that that song was not incluced on the soundtrack. But on further reflection, that actually seemed the better choice. Lou Reed is the quintessetial urban poet. FH never even comes close to New York City or any other real metropolis. The Neil Young, Doug Sahm and Louvin Brothers tracks actually used in the film are actually more fitting. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This eerily beautiful film stars Miranda Stuart Rhyne as Angela, a young girl trying to cope with her family's falling apart. Her mother (Anna Thomson) has drastic mood shifts that bring her from manic happiness to utter misery. Her father (John Ventimiglia) tries to hold everyone together, but Mae's vacillations are becoming more than he can manage. Adrift, Angela and her little sister concoct magical rituals and have visions of fallen angels and the Virgin Mary; reading signs in the way a towel falls off a chair or a tool falls off a truck, they set off to find their way to heaven. Angela succeeds because of writer-director Rebecca Miller's keen understanding of childhood, when imagination and reality are fluid and fantasies can exert a potent influence over a child's life. An unsettling and affecting movie, with an excellent performance by Rhyne. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Cinematic Masterpiece
This movie sent chills down my spine even after the twentieth time of seeing it. Excellent architecture, this movie portrays imagination in a light that leaves you a little unsure of the diagnosis. It left me wondering if the magical things that happened to these girls was real or really in their imaginations.

It also allowed me to see a wierd, dark side of childhood again, like what I went through, circumstances that made survival and coping palpable and no longer hidden. I reccommend everyone see this movie at least once. Maybe the things hidden in this movie were unintentional, but there are layers to sort through.

Very Interesting
I came accross this movie in a movie store and it caught my eye because my name is Angela as well and after reading the back of the movie cover, the part that said she came from a deranged family was interesting because that was like me as well. After watching this movie, I thought about it a lot and I couldn't seem to understand it. I watched it again and it came clear to me that the girls made up their own fantasy worlds to escape the very depressing or overly happy mood swings of their mother, and they search for a way to heaven and Angela dies when she succeeds. This movie was very interesting, and very well directed.

through the looking glass
so i ran across this film by accident, or by fate, but all i can say is wow. it shows the other side of children, the side we all fall in love with without truly understanding. the devotion and love these girls possess results in fear and exhaustion due to their circumstances, and yet it still remains so selfless, so perfect. the film is beautiful to look at. it has a very 'dancer in the dark' rhythm that captures an almost raw and living beat. and the girls are captivating, with personalities that outshine the sun.

Very Pleased
Although the above reviewer kind of spoiled the ending for me, the movie definately held my complete attention from start to finish. Very well written and directed, and the actors demonstrated and incredible awareness of their charachters. The relationship between the two sisters appears real in every aspect, and the mother actually reminds me of someone I used to know. Altogether, I was very impressed...

Angela-Good Or Bad?
I was totally blown away by the freedom of expression in this movie. All the actors in the movie, especially the two children were just works of art in motion.There were so many things going on in this movie--yet--somehow the characters all stood out in their own way at the right time. I was completely impressed with the mood of the movie. One that could have been very depressing, was somehow, magical and so loving. The movie also brought out how children can survive through many things and sometimes...when all they have to reach out to is Heaven....God answers......I loved the ending, which at first look was sad, but then after rethinking for a few seconds, I realized that Angela had found her way......This movie is bold, not afraid to show how life really is without censorship attached, and therefore is refreshing and will be very easy to watch many more times.... ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Five star acting in 2 1/2 star movie
Parker Posey, Kyra Sedwick, and Fairuza Balk all get umpteen stars from me for their great portrayals of women who have reached a point in life where they know something has got to change.
There are three women: Delia, Greta, and Paula. Their lives are unraveling, and only they can make the choice as to what to do next and if it is the best thing to do.
I thought the first two stories were extremely depressing. I honestly didn't know the tone to the entire movie. I tend to not want to know a lot about a movie I am going to watch because what would be the point to watching them? It's like looking into someone else's life watching these stories.
My thoughts are this -- Kyra Sedwick's "Delia" is a blue jean wearing chick who has a past of being promiscuous and a present she wants to escape.
Parker Posey is "Greta", the woman bent on success and high on infidelity. Some of her thoughts were laugh out loud funny.
Fairuza Balk is "Paula", young, pregnant, and freaked out by an accident that she sees happen to a man she has just met. She runs away and picks up a young mysterious hitchhiker This is the best story because it ends on an unbeat note.
The writing was good, and I liked the style of filmmaking Rebecca Miller has incorporated with her stories.
It still left me with a bitter taste. It is certainly not a feel good movie, but it is at times compelling.
It's intriguing enough that I did like it despite it's frankness.

Three solid tales of women in transit
Personal Velocity, written and directed by Rebecca Miller (and based on her book) tells three stories of women at crossroads in their lives. A film that is divided into separate stories must overcome certain challenges. Short stories, if they are good, can still leave the reader a little unsatisfied. This may be even more true of short films, as even a two hour movie tends to have less depth than a book. It is also common for stories to be of unequal quality. Personal Velocity, however, succeeds in creating three engaging half hours with some powerful performances. I found all three equally entertaining. The first character we meet is Delia (Kyra Sedgwick), a woman fleeing from an abusive husband with her three young children. While this is a familiar, movie-of-the-week situation, Sedgwick is completely believable as the hurt, angry and uncertain Delia as she attempts to make a new start. Parker Posey, a distinguished veteran of many independent films is the star of the second tale. She is Greta, an editor who unexpectedly finds success working with a famous novelist (who makes a pass at her). Greta is married to a man who is nice, intelligent but lacking in ambition and she finds herself wondering if he will fit in with her new future. There is a great contrast between the first two episodes. The first is set in the rural working class of upstate New York, the second among Manhattan's literary chic. The third tale changes pace once again. Paula (Fairuza Balk) is a woman who has just been traumatized by a tragic accident. Driving aimlessly, she picks up a young hitchhiker who turns out to be another victim of a violent event. Paula drives with the boy to her mother's house, which does not turn out to be much of a refuge. Both the first and last segment deal with rather depressing circumstances, but both leave us with the sense that the women have left the worst behind them and are ready to begin a new and better life; the same is true of the second story, though its overall tone is more upbeat. Personal Velocity is about just that; characters who overcome the unpredictable challenges of their surroundings by the force of their own wills. The film was shot digitally, which works well with its focused, microcosmic perspective.

...intelligent and excellent cinematic experience.
Personal Velocity is the story of three different women who collide with a life crisis at different times in their lives. Delia (Kyra Sedgwick) has frequently been abused by the man she loves, a love that has tied her down and made her incapable of escaping, but now she realizes that it is time for a change. Greta (Parker Posey) is mourning the death of her mother as she has settled down due to her parents divorce that is the origin for her hate for infidelity. On the exterior she displays a person who is content with what life has to offer her; however, when a big time author asks her to be his editor, she has a chance to get back to where she once was, on the top of the world. The question is whether she can take steps to remove the ties that hold her down. Paula (Fairuza Balk) has recently witnessed a traumatic death and found out that she is pregnant with a child. Confused, she begins to drive home to see her mother as she is desperate for some guidance or a sign. On the way she sees a hitch hiker, a teenager, that she interprets as a sign so she picks him up. The three women are reaching their life decisions at different velocities in their lives. Their personal velocities are clearly represented as one has children, one does not even think of having any, and the third has one on the way. This makes the story unique in regards to women and their choices, which often are influenced by external factors. In the end, Miller provides an intelligent and excellent cinematic experience.

Perceptive and ripe with ideas
Rebecca Miller's Personal Velocity is comprised of three short films: Delia, Greta, and Paula. The characters span location, socio-economic background, and age but are psychologically threaded by the common experience of a crisis pertinent to each's feminine identity. The movie's interest in women may garner the misperception of it as a feminist polemic, but Miller's vision is more humanitarian than political. It's one of those movies that, even when unsuccessful, seems genuinely curious about human beings.

In exploring battered wife, Delia (Kyra Sedgewick) Miller uses flashbacks to show her deep-seated confusion with sex and power as a promiscuous teenager. Greta reiterrates such themes, but as opposed to Delia's battered wife syndrome, these now impenetrable psychological depths actually produce societally acceptable behavior. The more Greta (the deft Parker Posey) succumbs to her innate moral inscrutability, the greater success she earns in her profession as a book editor. The final short, Paula is much less clear in its themes, and you can see Miller exploring truly dangerous territory, feeling around for a lightswitch in the dark. It follows a young quasi-homeless goth woman (Fairuza Balk) whose quest for love and motherhood become manifested in unconditional love and care for a terribly abused hitchhiking boy. Though this short seems spiritually disconnected from the first two, I like its dark, emblematic emotions (ripe with abortion metaphors and images of child torture) and Balk's performance is appropriately painful.

Miller's larger point, I think, is to show a battle between these women's present goals and their histories which, whether or not they like it, dictate their decisions. I applaud Miller for exploring such quandaries and being able to convey them in artful, engrossing entertainment.

Out,Out Damned Spot!
Rebecca Miller's "Personal Velocity" is dull, drab and pretty much lifeless. It tells the story of three women who have little velocity, personal or otherwise. All three (Parker Posey, Kyra Sedgwick and Fairuzza Balk) are all without recourse, stuck in situations mostly of their own making and unwilling or unable to snap out of it and improve their lot.
Parker Posey as Greta a Cook Book editor, falls into a primo gig editing an up-an-coming fiction author and proceeds to mess it up making silly, unethical and un-professional choices. And Sedgwick as Delia, usually one to elicit sympathy, comes off as a pathetic slattern, undeserving of anything much more than pity. Balk as Paula rounds out this ungodly trio as a young woman bent on destruction who mostly succeeds.
I know that all of this is meant to be "real" and serve as a comment on Contemporary Woman but give me a break. We've all got it bad at some point in our lives but we also have it good a lot of the times. "Personal Velocity" ejects women back to the 1950's and beyond; a world in which women indeed had few choices but marriage and children and as such it not only demonizes Men, it degrades Women: those it is trying to glorify. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Impressive Work by Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi has long been one of the premiere character actors in the business; his resume reads like a veritable Who's Who of interesting, complex characters who run the gamut from psycho hit-man to regular guy, all of whom he has brought vividly to life in film after film. And whether or not a particular project is a hit or a flop, Buscemi is always good, and can always be counted upon to add that extra something to any given film, as he has in "Trees Lounge," an affecting drama he not only stars in, but with which he makes his debut as a writer/director-- and an impressive debut it is.

Tommy Basilio (Buscemi) is an out-of-work mechanic who lives alone above a bar called Trees Lounge in Long Island, N.Y. He's more than a bit down on his luck; not only did he lose his job, but his pregnant girlfriend of eight years, Theresa (Elizabeth Bracco) recently dumped him for his former boss, Rob (Anthony LaPaglia). He wants to pick himself up and get his life back together, but he doesn't seem to know where to start, and the garages to which he's applied for work aren't exactly knocking his door down to hire him. So he gravitates to the Trees, where he can at least interact with others who seem to be in situations not entirely unlike his own, though at different stages and for different reasons. But they all have one thing in common-- they're people just trying to get through the day; they're trying to get through life. If they can only figure it all out.

With this film, Buscemi proves that he is more than just a talented actor, but rather a true artist in every sense of the word, with his chosen medium being film. He has an eye for detail which complements his insights into human nature and enables him to effectively translate his material to the screen. His characters are finely drawn and complex, and with each and every one he manages to successfully avoid the stereotypes to which a setting like this could easily lend itself (and no doubt would, in lesser hands). Even with the minor characters, he succinctly gives you enough of who they are that it allows you to see beneath the surface and know what makes them tick. And he does it imaginatively-- by filling a room with photographs or items that reflect who a certain person is, for example, or simply by training his camera on someone's face and allowing that extra beat that affords the viewer a telling glimpse of what's hiding behind a character's eyes. Buscemi has an innate sense of knowing how to convey what he's trying to say, and he does it in a million small and different ways that are subtle and incisive. Simply put, he knows what works-- including how to get what he wants out of his actors-- and he presents it all with a pace and timing that are right on the mark.

In Tommy, Buscemi creates a character to whom many will be able to relate and identify on any number of different levels. To say that Tommy is a "loser" would be too much of a simplification, because the character is too complex for that tag alone to be accurate. Tommy is blue-collar, down on his luck, and like so many people in real life, just can't seem to put it all together, can't figure out how "life" is supposed to work. And that's what Buscemi conveys so subtly and so well, and it's the key to the success of this character-- it's what makes Tommy believable and real. Obviously, Buscemi knew exactly what he wanted when he wrote this character, and he puts it across with a brilliant, memorable performance which also demonstrates his ability to star in and carry a movie on his own. Certainly, he has a wonderful supporting cast that gives him plenty of help, but few character actors have ever been able to step into a lead role with such facility and achieve the level of success Buscemi has here. And it's work that deserves to be acknowledged.

There are a number of notable supporting performances in this film, as well, beginning with Mark Boone Junior, who as Mike captures the essence of a guy who is successful, but a loser nonetheless; LaPaglia, who gives a solid performance as Rob; Bracco, with a performance that is introspectively revealing; Debi Mazar, who with very little screen time leaves an indelible impression (and her eyes are absolutely mesmerizing); Kevin Corrigan (another of the finest character actors around), as Matthew; and especially Chloe Sevigny, as Debbie, Theresa's mature-beyond-her-years, seventeen-year-old niece.

Rounding out the ensemble cast are Carol Kane (Connie), Bronson Dudley (Bill), Michael Buscemi (Steve's real life brother, playing Tommy's brother, Raymond), Suzanne Shepherd (Jackie), Rockets Redglare (Stan), Seymour Cassel (Uncle Al), Annette Arnold (Sandy), Michael Imperioli (George), Mimi Rogers (Patty), Daniel Baldwin (Jerry) and Charles Newmark (Puck). An involving story presented with a rich assortment of memorable, convincing characters, "Trees Lounge" is a drama about life-- about the things going on in your own neighborhood, or downtown or two streets over, no matter where you are in the world. Wherever people are, there are situations like the ones depicted in this film, problems that have to be solved and life that has to be lived. And that's what makes this film so good; it gives the audience a chance to connect with, or at least examine, things that anyone anywhere will be able to recognize. It may have taken a collaborative effort to make this one what it is, but in the end, it's Buscemi's film from start to finish, and a satisfying little gem of a movie it is. And that's the magic of the movies.

Funny, sad portrait of a man slipping away
Steve Buscemi is one of our absolute finest character actors, but in Trees Lounge he gets a chance to direct himself in a starring role. The result is an excellent movie that doesn't seem to have gotten the attention it deserves.

Buscemi's character is a loser: he's been fired from his job as a mechanic, his long-time girlfriend left him for his best friend, and he spends much of his time as a regular at the local bar, the Trees Lounge. A loser, to be sure, but also a basically decent guy. A funny guy with a quick wit, living in a dead-end, blue-collar Long Island suburb, surrounded by friends and relatives with little vision beyond their dead-end lives.

We watch as this loser tries to do the right thing, but just can't get it right. At one point, he apparently succumbs to a certain temptation, but when confronted about it, he insists that "nothing happened!". We believe him, we even feel sorry for him, but we also recognize the inveitability of the outcome, for he has squandered whatever goodwill he still had coming to him.

The final scene is haunting in the way it echoes the opening scene. Sometimes funny, usually bittersweet, Trees Lounge is a very good character study. As a portrayal of alcoholism, it also makes a fine, understated companion piece to Barfly, its more famous, self-conscious, and, in my opinion, inferior predecessor.

"The ice cubes are too heavy."
Steve Buscemi wrote, directed and stars in "Trees Lounge" He plays Tommy, an unemployed mechanic who lives above a bar, and in fact he spends most of his waking life in the bar, hanging out with the other regulars. Tommy is a lost soul, but he doesn't seem to grasp that fact. He's about to face the middle-age existence of a total loser, and he doesn't know how he got to that point or how he can get himself out of it. He yearns for his past romance to former girlfriend, Theresa (Elizabeth Bracco) who's now married to Tommy's ex-boss (Anthony LaPaglia.) Tommy doesn't really want Theresa back--it's more that he wants that period of his life back. Tommy's lack of direction put the nail in the coffin for his relationship with Theresa, but now that he's facing his 40s, he really looks pathetic. It's no wonder that only a naive 17-year-old girl falls for his tarnished charm.

The cast is loaded by supporting talent--Carol Kane is the long-suffering bartender at Trees Lounge, and there's Uncle Al (Seymour Cassel). Uncle Al is a great character, and Uncle Al is exactly what Tommy will become--somewhat shady but always guaranteed to be viewed as the amusing family scallywag at all gatherings. When Al dies, Tommy uses Uncle Al's ice cream van and takes his place at the wheel. But even this relatively harmless employment leads Tommy into more trouble. Buscemi is right at home in the role of Tommy. We all know people like Tommy, and Buscemi's wonderful script and superb acting breathes life into a character who could all too easily be played as a stereotype--displacedhuman

Where Everybody Knows Your Name
A BIG little film by writer/director/star Steve Buscemi helped by a healthy cast and witty script, TREES LOUNGE is the indie version of CHEERS to a certain degree. A good character study with Buscemi as Tommy, an umemployed car mechanic dealing with his mistakes( past and present) and drowning his sorrows at a local hole-in-the-wall bar. Buscemi's performance is low key yet full of life as the well-meaning lovable misfit who loses his job, girlfriend, an Uncle and gets involved (innocently platonical) with his 17 year old niece, Debbie (Chloë Sevigny). He puts his life together somewhat as he takes over his dead Uncle's Ice Cream Truck business but trouble abounds as he takes on Debbie as an "assistant". There is an intertwined sideplot with fellow barfly Mike (Mark Boone, Jr.)who has just moved out from the city into the Long Island suburbs with his family. He is a bored furniture moving contractor who has ended up "running his business" from the bar much to the dismay of his wife. Some excellent support roles especially Carol Kane as barmaid Connie and some short but weighty cameos from Mimi Rogers, and Samuel Jackson, Debi Mezar, Anthony LaPaglia,Daniel Baldwin, and Seymore Cassel and some great Long Island location shots makes TREES LOUNGE a fun and interesting movie to watch for its characters as the movie doesn't resolve and sugercoat problems, but somehow gives a good portrait of well meaning but empty lives of an existing population in anywhere U.S.A.

It's as though you climbed into an Edward Hopper painting.
"Trees Lounge" is a well made, dark movie about a man in the suburban NY area played by Steve Buscemi who is deeply alienated and is in the process of falling apart, one of Marx's lumpenproletariat. It's very affecting, and I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

IT'S SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN YOU'D THINK
To tell you the truth, I wasn't really expecting too much from this movie, it IS a romantic comedy, but not expecting too much is the best way to not be dissapointed.

Hugh Grant plays an auctioneer who wants to marry his girlfriend played by Jeanne Tripplehorn. The only problem is she wants to protect him from her family, who happen to be mobsters, most notable James Caan.

Hugh Grant's clumsy, stuttering style serves him well here because he is faced with a number of uncomfortable situations. He and Caan do fine work in the movie although Caan's character becomes weaker towards the second half of the movie. Tripplehorn is ok, in a role that only required her to be ok.

The rest of the mobster cliches, I mean cast, are made up of people who at one time or another have been or will be on The Sopranos.

The movie does have some funny moments, like when Caan teaches Grant to talk like a wiseguy, although that wears thin soon. But in the end the movies uneven tone between lighthearted romantic comedy and some violence ultimately keep it from being too memorable

Nice romantic comedy.
This film combines romance, comedy and the Mafia quite well. Hugh Grant is romantically involved with a beautiful girl whose father (James Caan) is a NYC mob figure. She tries to hide it from him, but eventually he finds out and becomes innocently involved with her father and the mob. Enjoyable flick.

IT'S NO "ANALYZE THIS", BUT FUN ROMP THRU A DOOZY SITUATION
Witty theme, darker than you'd expect and with some dead-serious undertones (Burt Young's character, for example, is *scary* without a trace of humor) but this is totally appropriate in context and gives the movie a punch that many comedies lack. Hugh Grant's comic timing took me by surprise, as did Jeanne T's convincing rendition of a mafia don's daughter. James Caan was actually the reason I picked this DVD up and did not regret it. Very worthy spin for an evening if you like atypical comedies in general or mafia comedies in particular.

Hugh Grant Provides Lots of Light-hearted Fun !!!
Whenever I find an unfavorable review for this film it really mystifies me. This is one of my favorite comedies!! Hugh Grant does his usual excellent job since this story serves as a PERFECT vehicle for his familiar cinematic personna. There are definitely some unforgettable scenes here...I'm talking about the botched up marriage proposal of course, and who can forget the part where James Caan has to teach Grant how to talk like a gangster?! There are soooo many laughs-- never a dull moment and a great bargain for such a fun movie! If you like Grant, this DVD is a must have! If you don't, then you cannot recognize a truly charismatic performer when you see one.

Fun.
Another great movie with Hugh Grant. I loved the parody of the mafia mobsters. All the things that are being played out so seriously in films like 'The Godfather', are being parodied in this film. ... Read more

Description

On a spiritual quest for the truth, a bewildered young man encounters a strong dose of reality in this quirky and hilarious comedy. When Redmond (Kevin Corrigan) finds himself out of home and job, his life becomes a series of unpredictable escapades--from dodging gunfire after his uncle (James Woods) makes him deliver a highly suspicious package, to pursuing a moody stewardess (Linda Fiorentino) he thinks has come to save him. Soon Redmond begins to suspect his road of mishap might actually be the path to truth he has been seeking all along. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Woods is wacky!!
I liked it. woods was wacky as Corrigans uncle and it was funny to see Woods get hit y that bus at the end, hilarious. Michael Rapaport is absolutely awesome in this too. funny part is when Corrigans in Rapaports place with his girlfriend and his girlfriend is telling about how she raided some place that had a bunch of vibrators

Worth a Look
"Kicked in the Head" ain't brilliant, but it does unfold with an energy that is both youthful and honest, the way movies about young people should be. Kevin Corrigan's Redmond finds himself criss-crossing paths with gangsters, stalker girlfriends, and even a terrier tied to a shopping cart in his quest to find true love (in the guise of Linda Fiorentino as a smoky stewardess who's been around the airport a few times). Less ably plotted than heartfelt, the movie sometimes lets its hit-and-miss comedy get in the way of the better moments, like the confused Redmond's attempts at a Graduate-style reconciliation with what he thinks is the love of his life. Still, it's sincere in feeling, and any movie that can work the remake of Louis Armstrong's Bond song "We Have All the Time in the World" can't be bad. Check it out if you need to be reminded of the breezy angst of young love.

The blackest of the black comedies
Man, I hate to say anything good about a film with James Woods in the credits, my personal choice as Hollywood's most irritating and unlikable actor since Victor Mature. However, he's only got a bit part, thank god, and he plays a consumate loser(not much of a stretch) so I will gleefully throw this one a prop. It's too bad this one got so much bad press. I guess people tuned out early from all the existential angst our main character, Kevin Corrigan, is bleeding all over the place. Michael Rapaport is hysterical as an enthusiastic Irish gun toting beer distributor at war with more ethnic gun toting beer distributors. Basically the same role he played in True Romance but this time he's on crack. I think I counted about 700 beers in his refrigerator? I also noticed that nobody in this movie can shoot worth a [dime]. Spoilers ahead: Have you ever seen anybody empty an entire clip from a Desert Eagle at 3 feet and hit nothing but the sky? This movie is inventive, witty, and just downright hilarious. Worth a second look. The final scene had me simultaneously rolling on the floor and searching for an airsick bag. Funny funny funny! A solid 9 beer salute.

This is the funniest indie film ever made!
Filmed in the lower east side of new york, the story tackles complex emotions and the struggling life of a writer. It has a great cast with Michael Rappaport's best performance doing what he does best: acting like a beefy thug. I'm not sure why Matthew Harrison never made more movies.

MUST SEE MOVIE OF THE CENTURY
For some reason all of those stuck up critics didn't like the movie. I, however, loved it. Kevin Corrigan is perfect for his role, his acting is so low key that he makes some of the funniest lines even funnier. "You pay the rent" "no" "yeah, see that could be a problem" The main reason this movie is so great is all the minor characters we meet along the way and there is at least one line you will remember from every scene that will make you laugh whenever u think about it. The best scene in the movie is when Redmond is talking with some drunk guy about the stewardist (?) ... Read more

Description

"Jesus' Son" is the story of a young man's circuitous journey from drug dependency and petty crime to a life redeemed by his startling discovery of compassion. Set in the drug subculture of the 1970's, a young man in his twenties (Billy Crudup) careens through his days getting stoned, stealing, or scamming a quick buck. He is driven by an overwhelming desire to help those around him, to save them from their often sorry fates, but he repeatedly fails. Almost by a miracle, redemption does come to the young man. It sneaks up on him almost imperceptibly, through barely observed lessons learned from a colorful parade of characters who range from a crazed, pill-popping hospital orderly (Jack Black), a down-on-his-luck-divorcee (Denis Leary), to a half-paralyzed woman (Holly Hunter) who teaches him about love. Bit by bit, the young man stumbles towards sobriety and lands a job at an assisted living facility where he discovers the depths of his own compassion for others, and the grace that comes with it. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Knife in the head = a stabbing headache
As "Jesus' Son" began, I braced myself for yet one more depressing character study of low-life, substance-addicted losers a la "Panic In Needle Park", "Barfly", "Sid and Nancy" or "(insert name of your favorite Gus van Sant film here)". However,as the movie unfolded I realized that I was watching the kind of subtle yet picaresque tale that has been MIA in American cinema since the 70's..."Scarecrow", "Two-Lane Blacktop", "Rancho Deluxe", etc. The chameleon-like Billy Crudup scores as the chronically underachieving antihero, delivering his first-person voiceover in a non-linear "verite" style. Samantha Morton ("Sweet & Lowdown") gives a notable performance as Crudup's enabling junkie girlfriend. The irrepressible Jack Black continues his reign as the Thinking Man's Chris Farley with a memorable turn as a manic,pill popping hospital orderly with interesting ideas about "prepping" patients. Great cameos abound, including a virtually unrecognizable Denis Leary (who for once goes a little deeper than just playing himself). Quite rewarding for patient viewers.

A Drugstore Cowboy for the '00s
It's hard to believe that Drugstore Cowboy was released as long ago as 1989. Just as Trainspotting was described as a "Drugstore Cowboy for the '90s", it's tempting to describe Jesus' Son as a "Drugstore Cowboy for the '00s". Like Gus Van Sant's now-classic film, the story revolves around two heroin addicts (Billy Crudup and Samantha Morton, both excellent), it's set in the somewhat recent past (the '70s instead of the '60s) and it's based on a previously existing literary source; in this case, Denis Johnson's short story collection of the same name. But despite everything -- mostly bad -- that "FH" (Crudup) experiences throughout the course of the film, Jesus' Son is more of a character study (Crudup also serves as the narrator). Some may still find it just as off-putting as Drugstore Cowboy, which didn't seem to judge its characters. But Jesus' Son isn't as concerned with FH's drug use as much as his very character, his nature -- his "essence", if you will. And if you can't find anything to love about the hapless FH, you'll probably feel the same way about Alison Maclean's striking film (after the well received, but little seen Crush). As in High Fidelity, Jack Black provides much of the humor, although Crudup proves himself surprisingly adept at comedy in a few choice moments. Dennis Hopper, Denis Leary and Holly Hunter (in a well acted, but not particularly convincing role) also star. Fans of The Panic in Needle Park (featuring Al Pacino in his first lead performance), Vincent Gallo's loopy Buffalo 66 and, especially, Drugstore Cowboy should find much to enjoy. Joe Henry's fine soundtrack only sweetens the deal, the highlight of which must surely be Tommy Roe's funky "Sweet Pea", to which Ms. Morton (as Michelle) does *quite* the dance, drawing FH into her dangerously compelling world without saying a word.

Sidenote: The Velvet Underground's "Heroin", in which Lou Reed proclaims that he feels "just like Jesus' Son" when he's "rushing on [his] run", isn't featured in either the film or on the soundtrack.

Dark laughter: tears: redemption
My first take on first viewing was: right, I want to watch a movie about some disgusting, sleazy, young idiots. The sex. The violence. The drugs. And then, you start to pay attention to the narrator's voice, and you begin to understand the intelligence, the attempt at a philosopy of life that lies behind the voice. And you laugh as a dead guy gets beat up in a corn field.
I own two movies--the other is John Huston's "The Dead". I only buy movies that have enough complexity in script, acting, and production, that you can watch over and over and still see new things.
This is a movie that changes gears on you constantly. One viewing will not suffice.
I still scream with laughter when I see it, and I still weep.

"Have your ticket in your hand...
. . .Before it is too late" ~ That line comes from the Woodie Guthrie tune, Airline To Heaven,(performed by Wilco)that plays over the end credits of Jesus' Son. It captures the flavor of this movie, & it sums up the blend of hope, loss, faith & acceptance of life ~ not only for drug guzzling "losers", but for any & everyone.

The late 60's/early 70's didn't exactly corner the market on lost weirdo's who found solace behind a substance-induced mask of happiness. One of my closest friends IS that character that Denis Leary plays ~ sometimes comical, sometimes tragic. Just like this movie.

Jesus' Son offers the really straight, by-the-numbers people a little insight into the people & lives that those folks usually avoid & disregard; "only bad people use drugs".

Not so.

It's also interesting to watch a movie that has character's using a variety of street drugs that was made at a time, currently, that is, when most young people in this culture have been heavily bombarded with anti-drug/"War On Drugs" propaganda, & have been steadily for about twenty yrs or so . . yet the story is of an era where that level of propaganda wasn't as pervasive & all encompassing as it is today.

Well, anyway, other people have already written better reviews of this than I could, or have, but I had to write something about this heartfelt little movie.
"Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine, we'll understand it all by & by"

"I Feel Just Like Jesus' Son"
If you came of age (or nearly did) in the 60's, you may recall a moment--very likely sometime in the early 70's, unless you were extremely prescient and saw it coming earlier--when all the hippie idealism pretty much just dissolved before your eyes and was replaced by...well, whatever it was replaced by. I recall being actually kind of angry at all these small town stoners whose only countercultural value was, quite frankly, drug taking. Society was not about to undergo a profound spiritual transformation at their hands. Of course, it was scarcely about to at anyone else's either...but who knew back then?

Lost souls like JESUS SON'S "FH" were really not uncommon back in the day. They may not have been uncommon back in any day. But the 60s and early 70s brand was perhaps a little more noticeable and, in some senses, sympathetic because of their vaguely anti-establishment stance. For a brief moment in history, outcasts were almost taken seriously. These people really did exist. As surreal as JESUS' SON sometimes gets, it remains grounded in its very vivid, very authentic characters.

Yes, there were certain junkie truths that ultimately became cinematic cliches. The numrerous OD's, the failed love relationships and the sporadic attempts at redemption are all elements of JESUS' SON. And yet, they come across as less cliched in this particular druggie film than in some others. Perhaps it's because the acting is almost uniformly excellent--with leads, Billy Crudup and Samantha Morton, deserving of particular praise. Perhaps too it's, at least in part, because FH's ultimate redemption is a plausible one. Out of rehab, he gets a job in a different kind of rehabilitation center, a home for sufferers of rare neurological diseases. It is finally there that he realizes that there may indeed be a place in the world for people like him.

Many viewers will find the final, sobered up segment of the film a little weaker dramatically than the drug addled scenes that precede it. That's true, but the end is also something of a relief. FH would surely have joined the ranks of his fallen comrades in arms had it not been for rehab and the chance at a new life in a new city. It's the kind of ending you could call "bittersweet"--if you use terminology like that. It's also one of only two possible endings for someone like "FH"--and, like him, you're grateful for that much.

When I first heard of this movie, I immediately recognized the source of the title as being a line from Lou Reed's "Heroin." I was disappointed, at first, to see that that song was not incluced on the soundtrack. But on further reflection, that actually seemed the better choice. Lou Reed is the quintessetial urban poet. FH never even comes close to New York City or any other real metropolis. The Neil Young, Doug Sahm and Louvin Brothers tracks actually used in the film are actually more fitting. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Imitate a Cat Puking!
I first saw this movie on HBO and I loved it ever since. It is certainly one of the most funniest movies I've ever seen and Parker Posey, who is now, because of this film, one of my favorite actresses, is simply charming as the paranoid party girl Mary. One of the funniest scenes I've ever seen is where her roommate Leo goes to talk to a big club owner and he is just hilarious with the whole "imitate a cat puking" thing. Im not going to give anything away! There is a few instances where she uses drugs, and there is very very brief nudity. But, other than that, its a great indie film and deserves to be seen. One of my favorites for sure!

A Side Order of Babaganoush
This has got to be one of the most innovative and tongue-in-cheek independent films of all time. I didn't know anything of the film until last year, and totally got the reason why it was revered as a cult classic among those with brains and a sense of humor.

The great thing about this movie is the leading lady, Parker Posey. Anyone who doesnt crack up the moment she opens her mouth has obviously had a seriously deprived childhood. Among all contemporary actresses, theres not one that has the instinctive comic likeability and timing that Posey has. Well, maybe Lisa Kudrow, but shes busy wasting away her life on 'Friends'.

Parker plays Mary, a Party Girl to reckon with ('I'm a girl who parties like a man', the film's soundtrack tells us). However, with bills to pay and the feeling of self-worth to satisfy, Mary falls at the feet of her godmother, who gives her a job at the library. While the film itself is irreverent, the wondrous job it extracts from its' leading cast is superb. Parker's Middle Eastern lover, her gay best friend, and her English DJ room-mate, all spicen up the proceedings, as Mary works her way through this thing called life, only to discover that the only thing that really matters is the ability to party the best you can.

Aside from spouting some of the most unfortgettable one-liners, Parker's sullen performance as a librarian, and her transformation into a care-a-hang nightlife girl is extremely watchable. I personally preferred her performance here to the more respected one she gave in the dark 'The House of Yes'. Its also far better and substantial than the one she gave us in 'Henry Fool'.

The film also has a stunning soundtrack. The only pity is that it is not yet available on DVD. While other Parker flicks such as 'Best in Show', 'Clockwatchers' and even 'Guffman' are all getting the DVD treatment, its high time someone woke up and put this to digital disc.

Highly recommended.

Funny Flick
Mary is not a librarian but a library clerk who later aspires to be a librarian. It was nice to see the professional get a little bit of respect in such a humorous way.

library propaganda with a side of romance
Mary wants nothing more out of life than to party 'til she drops. Unfortunately, she lands herself in jail and needs her godmother's help for the bail. However, she draws the line at giving Mary more money, and a penniless Mary finds herself agreeing to work at the same library her godmother works at. For a while, Mary exists as a Party Girl at night and a librarian by day. None of her friends see her as anything other than the Party Girl, and it's only after she starts working at the library that she starts to see herself as someone with a future.

Granted, this movie definitely has problems. The romance with the falafel salesman is weak, and it's not exactly a subtle movie. Mary and her friends can be absolutely clueless (everyone's mentioned the "Imitate a cat puking" bit, but I'll mention it again - I discovered that it was possible to laugh and cringe at the same time). As someone who works in the library, however, I have to say that some of the library humor is really fabulous. I can't count how many times I've wanted to do what Mary did and give the people who reshelve things just anywhere a piece of my mind. All the librarians I know who've seen this movie have loved it, so, if you work at a library, I would definitely suggest seeing this. If you don't work at a library, there's still a lot here that's worth seeing, although the movie may rate more of a three for you.

Very stupid!
Rated 1 star. As low as it gets at rating these movies. I am trying to resell this at another website. Best to rent or borrow from local library. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

5 stars for the extras
Sam Atkinson, as the family member of an AIDS victim, is BRILLIANT! The rest of the film is a tad affected.

An Extremely Interesting Failure
The artist David Wojnarowicz (1954-1992 was not exactly the sort of person you'd like to have drop in to meet mom: the product of an abusive home, he spent his teenage years working as a Time Square prostitute and much of his later life on the road, trading sex for a ride, for a meal, for nothing at all. Over time, he would begin to turn his extreme experiences into art: a series of writings, paintings, and sculptures that would eventually gain him a small but influential following. He came to national conciousness when the National Endowment for the Arts, under pressure from Senator Jessie Helms and Rev. Donald Wildemon, withdrew funding for an exhibition of his work--and instead of going quietly into night Wojnarowicz responded by suing Wildemon for copyright infringement and misrepresentation.

POSTCARDS FROM AMERICA is based on both Wojnarowicz's life and two autobiographical books he wrote: CLOSE TO THE KNIVES and MEMORIES THAT SMELL LIKE GASOLINE, both of which might best be described as a series of essays that sketch the horrors of his childhood, his sexual experiences as a prostitute and on the road, and his battle with AIDS. And like many art films, it has many good ideas; unfortunately, and also like many art films, it doesn't always know what to do with them.

The style of the film, directed and scripted by Steve McLean, tears a page from D.W. Griffith's silent masterpiece INTOLERANCE: instead of presenting us with a sequential biography, the film slips through time, mixing scenes of Wojnarowicz's childhood, his teenage years, and his later years on the road. In each case Wojnarowicz is played by a different actor at each stage of his life, and overall the effect is quite interesting and the performances are quite a bit better than you might expect. The cinematography by Ellen Kuras is also quite fine.

Where the film falls down is in the script, most of which is lifted word-for-word from Wojnarowicz's writing--which at its best explodes memorably in the ear. But director/writer McLean scripts the piece as a series of monologues, some done as voice-overs, some delivered directly to the camera. It would take a truly extraordinary ensemble to pull it off, but for all the directorial and acting gifts involved the overall feel that emerges is a mix of the static and the stagey. But the real failure of the film is its inability to convey the absolute fury that Wojnarowicz's writings possess and the sense of exploding anger that the best of his art conveys. Ultimately, Wojnarowicz emerges as a guy who had bad luck instead of a person who deliberately chose the adult life he led.

All of that said, it's rather difficult to know to whom this film is supposed to appeal. Obviously, the film has a strong gay element--and it is rife with same sex scenes, casual encounters in bathrooms, truck stops, a truly vicious rape that occurs when Wojnarowicz accepts a ride from a man in a van, all of which the character actually seems to take in stride as the "givens" of life. But individuals who live this particular lifestyle are unlikely to sit down and watch an art film about it, and for the rest of us--be we heterosexual or homosexual--it is off-putting to say the least.

That off-putting element might have been overcome by bringing us more deeply into Wojnarowicz as a person, but the film never really does this, and when it ends we are really left no wiser than we were before. I am tempted to give POSTCARDS FROM AMERICA three stars--but for all its failings it is in many respects a haunting film, filled with unexpected moments of visual beauty and a host of remarkable performances (especially from James Lyons, Michael Tighe, and Olmo Tighe, who play Wojnarowicz at the different stages of his life.) And so I'll be generous and give it four. But don't say I didn't warn you.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Ponderous
Well-meant portrayal of the life of David Wojnarowicz who died of AIDS as told through slow, poetic ruminations about his abusive father and early life as a street hustler. While sometimes very effective (and beautiful), the somber, disjointed style becomes a little too self-absorbed and overwhelms the brief, lighter moments of comedy and sex. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Steve Buscemi, an icon of the independent film world for years, took the opportunity to write, direct, and star in this wistful low-budget gem. He plays Tommy, a Long Island loser who gets tossed from his job as a mechanic for questionable financial antics. He spends his days at a local bar, drinking his life away even as he denies that he's doing any such thing. And when he finally works up the gumption to get a job, he winds up driving an ice-cream truck in his old neighborhood--and getting involved in an inappropriate relationship with his teeny-bopper assistant (Chloe Sevigny), earning the violent enmity of her father (Daniel Baldwin). Low-key in its approach, the film has a sad humor that is both knowing and forgiving, as well as offering one of Buscemi's best performances. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Impressive Work by Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi has long been one of the premiere character actors in the business; his resume reads like a veritable Who's Who of interesting, complex characters who run the gamut from psycho hit-man to regular guy, all of whom he has brought vividly to life in film after film. And whether or not a particular project is a hit or a flop, Buscemi is always good, and can always be counted upon to add that extra something to any given film, as he has in "Trees Lounge," an affecting drama he not only stars in, but with which he makes his debut as a writer/director-- and an impressive debut it is.

Tommy Basilio (Buscemi) is an out-of-work mechanic who lives alone above a bar called Trees Lounge in Long Island, N.Y. He's more than a bit down on his luck; not only did he lose his job, but his pregnant girlfriend of eight years, Theresa (Elizabeth Bracco) recently dumped him for his former boss, Rob (Anthony LaPaglia). He wants to pick himself up and get his life back together, but he doesn't seem to know where to start, and the garages to which he's applied for work aren't exactly knocking his door down to hire him. So he gravitates to the Trees, where he can at least interact with others who seem to be in situations not entirely unlike his own, though at different stages and for different reasons. But they all have one thing in common-- they're people just trying to get through the day; they're trying to get through life. If they can only figure it all out.

With this film, Buscemi proves that he is more than just a talented actor, but rather a true artist in every sense of the word, with his chosen medium being film. He has an eye for detail which complements his insights into human nature and enables him to effectively translate his material to the screen. His characters are finely drawn and complex, and with each and every one he manages to successfully avoid the stereotypes to which a setting like this could easily lend itself (and no doubt would, in lesser hands). Even with the minor characters, he succinctly gives you enough of who they are that it allows you to see beneath the surface and know what makes them tick. And he does it imaginatively-- by filling a room with photographs or items that reflect who a certain person is, for example, or simply by training his camera on someone's face and allowing that extra beat that affords the viewer a telling glimpse of what's hiding behind a character's eyes. Buscemi has an innate sense of knowing how to convey what he's trying to say, and he does it in a million small and different ways that are subtle and incisive. Simply put, he knows what works-- including how to get what he wants out of his actors-- and he presents it all with a pace and timing that are right on the mark.

In Tommy, Buscemi creates a character to whom many will be able to relate and identify on any number of different levels. To say that Tommy is a "loser" would be too much of a simplification, because the character is too complex for that tag alone to be accurate. Tommy is blue-collar, down on his luck, and like so many people in real life, just can't seem to put it all together, can't figure out how "life" is supposed to work. And that's what Buscemi conveys so subtly and so well, and it's the key to the success of this character-- it's what makes Tommy believable and real. Obviously, Buscemi knew exactly what he wanted when he wrote this character, and he puts it across with a brilliant, memorable performance which also demonstrates his ability to star in and carry a movie on his own. Certainly, he has a wonderful supporting cast that gives him plenty of help, but few character actors have ever been able to step into a lead role with such facility and achieve the level of success Buscemi has here. And it's work that deserves to be acknowledged.

There are a number of notable supporting performances in this film, as well, beginning with Mark Boone Junior, who as Mike captures the essence of a guy who is successful, but a loser nonetheless; LaPaglia, who gives a solid performance as Rob; Bracco, with a performance that is introspectively revealing; Debi Mazar, who with very little screen time leaves an indelible impression (and her eyes are absolutely mesmerizing); Kevin Corrigan (another of the finest character actors around), as Matthew; and especially Chloe Sevigny, as Debbie, Theresa's mature-beyond-her-years, seventeen-year-old niece.

Rounding out the ensemble cast are Carol Kane (Connie), Bronson Dudley (Bill), Michael Buscemi (Steve's real life brother, playing Tommy's brother, Raymond), Suzanne Shepherd (Jackie), Rockets Redglare (Stan), Seymour Cassel (Uncle Al), Annette Arnold (Sandy), Michael Imperioli (George), Mimi Rogers (Patty), Daniel Baldwin (Jerry) and Charles Newmark (Puck). An involving story presented with a rich assortment of memorable, convincing characters, "Trees Lounge" is a drama about life-- about the things going on in your own neighborhood, or downtown or two streets over, no matter where you are in the world. Wherever people are, there are situations like the ones depicted in this film, problems that have to be solved and life that has to be lived. And that's what makes this film so good; it gives the audience a chance to connect with, or at least examine, things that anyone anywhere will be able to recognize. It may have taken a collaborative effort to make this one what it is, but in the end, it's Buscemi's film from start to finish, and a satisfying little gem of a movie it is. And that's the magic of the movies.

Funny, sad portrait of a man slipping away
Steve Buscemi is one of our absolute finest character actors, but in Trees Lounge he gets a chance to direct himself in a starring role. The result is an excellent movie that doesn't seem to have gotten the attention it deserves.

Buscemi's character is a loser: he's been fired from his job as a mechanic, his long-time girlfriend left him for his best friend, and he spends much of his time as a regular at the local bar, the Trees Lounge. A loser, to be sure, but also a basically decent guy. A funny guy with a quick wit, living in a dead-end, blue-collar Long Island suburb, surrounded by friends and relatives with little vision beyond their dead-end lives.

We watch as this loser tries to do the right thing, but just can't get it right. At one point, he apparently succumbs to a certain temptation, but when confronted about it, he insists that "nothing happened!". We believe him, we even feel sorry for him, but we also recognize the inveitability of the outcome, for he has squandered whatever goodwill he still had coming to him.

The final scene is haunting in the way it echoes the opening scene. Sometimes funny, usually bittersweet, Trees Lounge is a very good character study. As a portrayal of alcoholism, it also makes a fine, understated companion piece to Barfly, its more famous, self-conscious, and, in my opinion, inferior predecessor.

"The ice cubes are too heavy."
Steve Buscemi wrote, directed and stars in "Trees Lounge" He plays Tommy, an unemployed mechanic who lives above a bar, and in fact he spends most of his waking life in the bar, hanging out with the other regulars. Tommy is a lost soul, but he doesn't seem to grasp that fact. He's about to face the middle-age existence of a total loser, and he doesn't know how he got to that point or how he can get himself out of it. He yearns for his past romance to former girlfriend, Theresa (Elizabeth Bracco) who's now married to Tommy's ex-boss (Anthony LaPaglia.) Tommy doesn't really want Theresa back--it's more that he wants that period of his life back. Tommy's lack of direction put the nail in the coffin for his relationship with Theresa, but now that he's facing his 40s, he really looks pathetic. It's no wonder that only a naive 17-year-old girl falls for his tarnished charm.

The cast is loaded by supporting talent--Carol Kane is the long-suffering bartender at Trees Lounge, and there's Uncle Al (Seymour Cassel). Uncle Al is a great character, and Uncle Al is exactly what Tommy will become--somewhat shady but always guaranteed to be viewed as the amusing family scallywag at all gatherings. When Al dies, Tommy uses Uncle Al's ice cream van and takes his place at the wheel. But even this relatively harmless employment leads Tommy into more trouble. Buscemi is right at home in the role of Tommy. We all know people like Tommy, and Buscemi's wonderful script and superb acting breathes life into a character who could all too easily be played as a stereotype--displacedhuman

Where Everybody Knows Your Name
A BIG little film by writer/director/star Steve Buscemi helped by a healthy cast and witty script, TREES LOUNGE is the indie version of CHEERS to a certain degree. A good character study with Buscemi as Tommy, an umemployed car mechanic dealing with his mistakes( past and present) and drowning his sorrows at a local hole-in-the-wall bar. Buscemi's performance is low key yet full of life as the well-meaning lovable misfit who loses his job, girlfriend, an Uncle and gets involved (innocently platonical) with his 17 year old niece, Debbie (Chloë Sevigny). He puts his life together somewhat as he takes over his dead Uncle's Ice Cream Truck business but trouble abounds as he takes on Debbie as an "assistant". There is an intertwined sideplot with fellow barfly Mike (Mark Boone, Jr.)who has just moved out from the city into the Long Island suburbs with his family. He is a bored furniture moving contractor who has ended up "running his business" from the bar much to the dismay of his wife. Some excellent support roles especially Carol Kane as barmaid Connie and some short but weighty cameos from Mimi Rogers, and Samuel Jackson, Debi Mezar, Anthony LaPaglia,Daniel Baldwin, and Seymore Cassel and some great Long Island location shots makes TREES LOUNGE a fun and interesting movie to watch for its characters as the movie doesn't resolve and sugercoat problems, but somehow gives a good portrait of well meaning but empty lives of an existing population in anywhere U.S.A.

It's as though you climbed into an Edward Hopper painting.
"Trees Lounge" is a well made, dark movie about a man in the suburban NY area played by Steve Buscemi who is deeply alienated and is in the process of falling apart, one of Marx's lumpenproletariat. It's very affecting, and I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Description

Albert is an introverted travel agent living a lonely life in New York. When Louie, his best friend from childhood, appears having just escaped from prison, Albert's quiet existence is permanently disrupted. What ensues is one long, crazy night in New York that will change both their lives forever. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE MOVIES!
I first saw this movie on IFC. I loved it so much that I went ordered it the next day. Since then I have seen it 11 times! It is one of those great classics that you just have to see again and again. This movie is so damn funny and it gives you a feel for New York like no other. If you are a Sopranos fan you will love seeing two extrodinary actors in a diffrent role than the show. Michael Imperiloi and John Ventamaglia are great together. Imperioli plays the shy travel agent Albert Desantis and Ventamaglia is Louie Salazar, Albert's friend who just escaped prison with only two weeks left on his five year sentence. When Louie goes to Albert for help they end up wandering the streets of New York on one great adventure. Keep your eyes open for many Soprano actors throughout the movie. I'm know good at writing reviews so I'll just end by saying get this movie. It is so worth the money. This is one extremely enjoyable movie. I think it's better than most of the stuff they put in theaters and I saw it for free! SEE THIS MOVIE!

Worth seeing ....Again!
I originally saw this film at the Nantucket Film Festival. Now, for me, Nantucket isn't exactly a drive around the corner, but I can tell you seeing this film was worth the trip! I'm a Joaquim de Almeida fan, whifh is why I went to see the film. His perfomance is brief, but oh-so wonderfully done. His fans all know that he can do the "evil, bad guy" parts quite well, but there is an underlying comedic tone to Ignacio. As a viewer, I couldn't quite decide if he was playing the part straight (evil) or as a characture of a gangster/pimp. I think that was the point... Good acting!

Considering it was such a long trip to get to Nantucket, I am glad I liked the film besides the fact that Joaquim was in it. In fact, I liked it a lot! The film centers around two characters, Albert and Louie. Albert is a shy, retiring sort, and Louie... well Louie is not. The story revolves around Louie's request to Albert to let him come over to Albert's place for just a little while. Louie has just gotten out of prison (we later find out that he's actually escaped).

Albert and Louie have known each other since childhood, and of course whenver they do something together there is trouble and it's Albert who always takes the fall.

The action of the film is based on the adventures that ensue from Louie's visit. On The Run is a chronicle of mad-cap, zany, situations. However, Bruno de Almeida and scriptwriter, Joseph Minion (After Hours), don't always take you where you expect to go. There are twists and turns that add depth to this film. Of course there is plenty of outright comedy, but there is much subtle humor here as well.

There are some downright good performances here as well. Albert is played delightfully by Michael Imperioli. He has been in such films as Goodfellas, Clockers, Malcom X, and the HBO series, the Sopranos. Louie is played by John Ventimiglia, who imbues his character with a lovable, child-like quality. (no matter what he does, you just gotta love Louie!).

Both these actors are excellent in their individual characters. With Imperioli, you'll want to hug him and bring him home to Mom. Ventimiglia, well, you won't know whether you should slap him or bring him home (and NOT to Mom!).

There are other stand-out performances as well. The character of Rita is played by Drena DeNiro (yes, Robert's daughter). The audience adored her. Talking with the others who saw the film it was fun to discuss whether it was Albert or Louie who was their favorite of those two. But, everyone loved Rita!

Is this film perfect? No, I can't say that it is. There were many times I wished the director had had a bigger budget to work with. There were some scenes that cried out for more budgetary freedom. (Give this guy a decent budget to work with and I believe you are going to see a film that will make you stand up and notice.)

The ending sequence was a bit of a victim of budget. Yet, budget or no budget, the ending screen shot, in my opinion, brought together the talent of actor and director into a memorable, emotionally effective scene.

Good movie ... should give it a try.
Just watched it on IFC. Counldn't stop watching it! Great film, funny, wit, good acting and directing.

Funny, Touching, Well-Acted
"On the Run" is a great little comedy from Bruno De Almeida about how much the bonds of childhood friendship can really last through adulthood.

Albert (Micheal Imperiolli) is a shy, New York travel agent who always feels that he never takes an active part in his life, that things just happen to him. One day, he gets a call from his old childhood buddy Louie (John Ventimiglia), who's just escaped from jail with only two weeks left on his sentence. Albert does the "right" thing, and calls the police to pick Louie up.

But sometimes doing the "right" thing isn't always the most honorable thing, and Albert rushes to rescue Louie from the oncoming police. Though he just wants to give Louie a little money to get out of town and lay low for a while, Louie has other plans. Over the course of the film, they make Manhattan their playground as Louie tries to reconnect with Albert and Albert just tries to stay away from the NYPD.

What makes the film is the obvious improvisation between Imperiolli and Ventimiglia, who makes for one of the better comic duos I've seen in a while. Both actors, good friends and "Sopranos" cast members, play off each other very well.

Also quite good in supporting roles are Suzanne Shepard as one of Albert's clients that rips him to shreds, and Drena De Niro who was a jury member in Louie's trial that still has a thing for him.

With great leads and a good use of it's limited budget, "On the Run" is one of those secret little movies that nobody knows about, but once you see, you're going to recommend it to all of friends. Trust me.

**I plan to add to this review, when I have a chance to review the actual DVD. Hopefully there's a commentary with the director and stars or a making-of featurette.** ... Read more

Amazon.com

The third film in writer-director-actor Edward Burns's "Long Island Trilogy" is in some ways the slightest of the three, and that's a blessing and a curse. By keeping things spare, Burns is able to focus on the simple, honest humanity of his story, which centers on the emotional dilemma of Claudia (Lauren Holly), a small-town waitress whose engagement to blue-collar Michael (Jon Bon Jovi) is challenged when old flame