Most people have sat around a table with someone in a dingy restaurant before, discussing life's minutia over some smokes and a cup of joe.
"Coffee and Cigarettes" is a film of 10 such vignettes, shot in black-and-white, featuring celebrities of varying levels of success playing themselves (or at least variations of themselves) as they indulge in the titular items and talk about a myriad of things, ranging from how harmful said items are to Elvis conspiracy theories.
A 17-year pet project for filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, the completed document is one that works at its own languid pace, has a sense of humor that relies on the absurdity of the situation rather than anything anyone actually says (with a few notable exceptions) and revels in bringing actors together in unexpected pairs.
The first segment, starring Roberto Benigni and Steven Wright, dates back to 1986. Benigni's infamously antic personality complements Wright's trademark stoicism perfectly.
Another bit, filmed more recently, sees Bill Murray engaging in a rather surreal conversation with Wu-Tang Clan rappers RZA and GZA about the dangers of caffeine.
Likewise, an encounter between Iggy Pop and Tom Waits, features the emaciated punk rocker and the gruff singer/songwriter desperately try to impress each other (Waits says he was late because he had to save some lives on the way over).
If this seems bizarrely funny, it's because Jarmusch capitalizes on the premise of celebrities skewering their reputations and having some fun at their own expense.
In some cases, Jarmusch even makes some moving observations regarding human nature.
Take the segment starring Cate Blanchett, who plays both herself and her errant cousin Shelby in a hotel waiting area.
As Cate, she is the immaculately beautiful star, trying to be polite to a woman who she has nothing in common with except blood, offering perfume as a gift that she was given for free anyway. As Shelby, she successfully reveals the hypocritical nature of being famous (not remembering names, making empty promises).
A similarly effective sketch is one between Alfred Molina ("Spider-man 2") and Steve Coogan ("Around the World in 80 Days"). After researching his family tree, an enthusiastic Molina informs Coogan that they are actually distant cousins, and all he wants is for his stunned colleague "to love me."
Coogan, who clearly has no idea who Molina is, doesn't feel comfortable opening his heart and rejects overtures of future meetings -- until Molina receives a fate ful phone call from Spike Jonze. Molina's response to Coogan's newfound interest is the highlight of the film.
Not every vignette succeeds, however: Meg White (of The White Stripes) shows drumming's not the only thing she can't do, and the plodding short starring Renee French ("Malcolm X") isn't nearly as observant as it thinks it is.
"Coffee and Cigarettes" is a project that manages to barely hang together, thanks to the complete faith invested by the actors to the material, and the relatability of many of the sketches.
Contact the A&E Editor
at artsdesk@unc.edu.
