Suprsinging thing about this movie is that it's being quite different
from its predecessor with its setup. In this particular case that
unfortunately isn't any good news.
At least the first movie still followed some stories, while this movie just feels completely improvised on the spot. No wonder, since it really was! It was shot in just 5 days, right after completing the first movie "Smoke". Sure, you could say it's being like a random slice of life but there at least should had been some more interesting developments and plot lines in this movie. It's mostly going nowhere and it doesn't even ever feels like the story is progressing in the first place. Just some characters rambling about random stuff. Just not my idea of a good or interesting movie.
In the original movie it besides followed plenty of characters, while this movie purely seems to focus on the Harvey Keitel character and the entire movie is set in- and right outside of his shop. There are still plenty of characters showing up in this though but this at the same time forms another problem for the movie; it's just too random. It's like watching a parade of celebrities walking in and out of the little cigar store, without truly leaving their mark on the movie.
So it's all in vein, that there are so many great actors showing up in this movie. Besides, while watching it, it also becomes painfully obvious not all great actors are great at improvising as well. I'm not sure how many hours of footage they shot but judging by this movie not an awful lot, or else more cuts would had been made.
It's not like I hated this movie though. It's just too short and too low-key for that. This movie never got made with the intentions to turn it into an award winning hit. It simply got made to obviously have some more fun, after finishing shooting "Smoke", in a more relaxed and free-form kind of way. It's never pretentious or anything and never annoyingly bad, or anything else along those lines. But really, if you liked watching "Smoke", that absolutely is no guarantee you are going to like this movie as well.
Perhaps only somewhat enjoyable and relevant if you live or have lived in Brooklyn for yourself.
6/10
At least the first movie still followed some stories, while this movie just feels completely improvised on the spot. No wonder, since it really was! It was shot in just 5 days, right after completing the first movie "Smoke". Sure, you could say it's being like a random slice of life but there at least should had been some more interesting developments and plot lines in this movie. It's mostly going nowhere and it doesn't even ever feels like the story is progressing in the first place. Just some characters rambling about random stuff. Just not my idea of a good or interesting movie.
In the original movie it besides followed plenty of characters, while this movie purely seems to focus on the Harvey Keitel character and the entire movie is set in- and right outside of his shop. There are still plenty of characters showing up in this though but this at the same time forms another problem for the movie; it's just too random. It's like watching a parade of celebrities walking in and out of the little cigar store, without truly leaving their mark on the movie.
So it's all in vein, that there are so many great actors showing up in this movie. Besides, while watching it, it also becomes painfully obvious not all great actors are great at improvising as well. I'm not sure how many hours of footage they shot but judging by this movie not an awful lot, or else more cuts would had been made.
It's not like I hated this movie though. It's just too short and too low-key for that. This movie never got made with the intentions to turn it into an award winning hit. It simply got made to obviously have some more fun, after finishing shooting "Smoke", in a more relaxed and free-form kind of way. It's never pretentious or anything and never annoyingly bad, or anything else along those lines. But really, if you liked watching "Smoke", that absolutely is no guarantee you are going to like this movie as well.
Perhaps only somewhat enjoyable and relevant if you live or have lived in Brooklyn for yourself.
6/10
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