Smoke
1995 · Movie · R · 112 min · ★ 7.2 · 80% critics
After nearly being hit by a bus, a city writer’s life brushes against a stranger who needs a place to stay. Still carrying grief, the writer learns about the stranger’s longing for family, while a smoke-shop owner follows clues that may connect to an upcoming birth.
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Details
- Years
- 1995
- Release date
- 1995-06-09
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Critic score
- 80/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (529 votes)
About
If you enjoy character-focused, slow-burn city dramas built from everyday connections, Smoke should work for you; Not for you if you want a tightly plotted, closure-heavy narrative like Wonder Boys or a more straightforward crowd-pleaser like Thank You for Smoking.
Pros: character-driven stories; strong ensemble acting; warm, slow atmosphere | Cons: rambling, uneven pacing; some plot threads feel open; dialogue can feel pretentious
Themes
- smoking
- robber
- cigarette
- laden
- writer
Awards & recognition
- Silver nugget — the best foreign film · 1996
- Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize · 1995
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Cast & crew
Harvey Keitel
as Augustus 'Auggie' Wren
William Hurt
as Paul Benjamin
Stockard Channing
as Ruby McNutt
Harold Perrineau
as Thomas 'Rashid' Cole
Forest Whitaker
as Cyrus Cole
Giancarlo Esposito
as 1st OTB Man / Tommy
José Zúñiga
as 2nd OTB Man / Jerry
Stephen Gevedon
as OTB Man #3 / Dennis
Jared Harris
as Jimmy Rose
Ashley Judd
as Felicity
Directed by Wayne Wang, Paul Auster