Coffee and Cigarettes
User Score
5.6 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 38 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 38
  3. Negative: 12 out of 38

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  1. Nightingale
    Aug 20, 2010
    4
    Itâ
  2. MarkB.
    May 30, 2004
    1
    When a highly quirky, individualistic director such as Jim Jarmusch makes films that work (and usually, with Down by Law, Dead Man, Night on Earth and Ghost Dog:The Way of the Samurai, they really do), they're described with such adjectives as "brilliant", "unique", "one of a kind". When they fall flat on their face, a more frequent label is "self-indulgent". By those standards, not only can Jarmusch's latest be comfortably described as one of the most self-indulgent films in years, but it's also a textbook example of exactly why so many once-burned mainstream moviegoers won't venture out to anything more adventurous than Van Helsing. This is an almost completely unwatchable blend of pompously stylized, nail your camera to the ground direction (punctuated on occasion by absurd overhead shots of coffee cups and ashtrays that look like they were filmed by an ant in a toy helicopter) and talky, rambling skits that fall into four categories: those that make a single point, those that are completely pointless, those that go on forever making no point whatsoever, and those that go on forever beating the same point to death. The deliberately conversational format makes it extremely tempting to claim this film as proof as to why it's always a bad idea to eavesdrop on people (not because it's impolite but because their chats are boring)...but then Louis Malle did this brilliantly in My Dinner With Andre over 20 years ago. It's more tempting to label this as one of the worst uses of a fabulous cast since Irwin Allen's The Swarm even farther back, because almost straight down the line Jarmusch makes a lot of actors I really admire look and sound incredibly self-involved; obnoxious or worse. Cases in point: in any other film the terrific Cate Blanchett's dual role would be a tour-de-force; here it just comes off as a showy gimmick. The excellent actors Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan seem to be in a duel to see who can be the most off-putting. As for the highly-vaunted Bill Murray/ Wu Tang Clan skit, I can only say that even though I'm no Caddyshack fan, I'll watch him do a Wile E. Coyote on the gopher 20 more times before I watch him chug a pot of coffee again even once. Tom Waits does come off as fairly amusing, largely because his vocal tone and inflections here are so similar to those of George Wendt on TV's Cheers. Ironically, the cast member I was most impressed with was the most self-effacing: Katy Hensz, who pops up in the middle of the Molina/Coogan bit, bringing some unexpected (and totally welcome) warmth and humanity as an autograph seeker. The catch, amazingly, is that she's only on screen for about two minutes or so, and Jarmusch never shows her face. (Talk about a performer who lives up to the adage "there are no small parts, only small actors"!) As for the rest of C&C, well, in the 1975 revisionist private-eye movie Night Moves, Gene Hackman (unfairly) describes sitting through Eric Rohmer's films as "like watching paint dry". To use one of Jarmusch's favorite props here, sitting through this effort is like watching coffee evaporate.… Collapse
  3. FredS.
    Aug 9, 2004
    0
    This is one of those movies that art-house nerds assume is genius because they can't make any sense of it. I wanted to kill myself. And I am an art-house nerd.
  4. JamesW.
    Sep 9, 2005
    4
    Boring.
  5. RossD.
    Dec 21, 2004
    1
    I was patient, hopeful, and expectant but next to nothing is found here.
  6. Shootsy
    May 29, 2004
    1
    Did I ask for a decaf?
  7. BrandonS.
    Jun 17, 2004
    2
    Havling particularly liked Night on Earth, Down by Law, and Dead Man, I put aside my fears about another one of "these movies," i.e. sit and talk in a series of little vignettes. Well, I blew it. The first skit showed some promise, in the total absurdity of Steven Wright and Roberto Benini. A strange and brief conversation, coming to a strange and brief conclusion. I started getting worried when the second "story" (I say story, though there wasn't even a hint of a plot) bit the big one. I thought the Tom Waits/Iggy Pop pairing conveyed a great dynamic and pretty much the only cleverness of the film. Most of the movie was what I can only describe as a Tower of Suck. Uninspired and self-indulgent only begin to describe this film. Jarmusch should be ashamed of himself, and I'd appreciate it if he could send me six bucks as an apology for wasting my time.… Expand
  8. JohnS.
    Jun 2, 2004
    0
    From the first two seconds of this movie I could tell I would hate it. Should have known better since I have never liked a Jarmusch movie. I saw it for the Wu and Bill Murray, which was ok. The White Stripes part gave me a headache, and Iggy Pop gives one of the worst performances I've ever seen. Really, Jarmusch should've just put together groups of unlikely people (like RZA/GZA/BM) and just let them talk about whatever rather than trying to script it. Not funny, not entertaining, a truly lazy/pointless movie. I'll say one good thing about it: it's better than Elephant, the worst movie ever made. … Expand
  9. MarcK.
    Dec 27, 2004
    2
    Quite possibly the worst movie I have seen in 2004...I'm only glad that I saw it on DVD rather than the movies, where I spent less money and could at least "break" from watching this horrorshow. I understand that Jarmusch is an acquired taste, and I obviously don't have that tastebud. Had some OK vignettes (Molina/Coogan was the best), but others were absolutely excruciating to sit through. … Expand
  10. N.Coste
    May 22, 2004
    4
    Half of the shorts are aimless and boring. Cut half of them and you have a modestly interesting 45 minute film.
  11. kjynnj.
    Dec 29, 2005
    1
    Judging by this film, I expect Jarmusch's next masterpiece will be called Snot, and will feature his buddies, vying to outdo each other in hipness as they sneeze and deal with their nasal secretions. I can't wait.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
65 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 35
  3. Negative: 2 out of 35
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Michael Rechtshaffen
    80
    In Jarmusch's capable hands, the mundane has never been so delightful.
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  2. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Peter Rainer
    70
    What unites everything is Jarmusch’s playful, hang-dog absurdism.
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  3. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    75
    Jarmusch makes it a feast that plays like a haunting concept album.
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