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Smoke

Smoke

Comedy · Drama · 1995

Writer Paul Benjamin is nearly hit by a bus when he leaves Auggie Wren's smoke shop. Stranger Rashid Cole saves his life, and soon middle-aged Paul tells homeless Rashid that he wouldn't mind a short-term housemate. Still grieving over his wife's murder, Paul is moved by both Rashid's quest to reconnect with his father and Auggie's discovery that a woman who might be his daughter is about to give birth.

Movie details

Smoke

“The most precious things are lighter than air.”

1995 Comedy · Drama 1h 52m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.2 / 10

Community rating

Writer Paul Benjamin is nearly hit by a bus when he leaves Auggie Wren's smoke shop. Stranger Rashid Cole saves his life, and soon middle-aged Paul tells homeless Rashid that he wouldn't mind a short-term housemate. Still grieving over his wife's murder, Paul is moved by both Rashid's quest to reconnect with his father and Auggie's discovery that a woman who might be his daughter is about to give birth.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Smoke?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Wayne Wang

Written by

Paul Auster

Harvey Keitel

Harvey Keitel

Augustus 'Auggie' Wren

William Hurt

William Hurt

Paul Benjamin

Stockard Channing

Stockard Channing

Ruby McNutt

Harold Perrineau

Harold Perrineau

Thomas 'Rashid' Cole

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker

Cyrus Cole

Giancarlo Esposito

Giancarlo Esposito

1st OTB Man / Tommy

José Zúñiga

José Zúñiga

2nd OTB Man / Jerry

Court is in session

Put Smoke on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.