“Cigarettes and Romance” is produced by the Coen brothers and you certainly see their influence on this John Tuturro film. This musical drama is odd, different and interesting, not as cohesive as a Coen film but a good work by the talented actor John Tuturro who not only wrote the film but directed it as well.

With a stellar cast including Susan Sarandon, James Gandolfini, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi and Christopher Walken, “Cigarettes and Romance” shows how our actions hurt others and in the end all we really want is some form of connection and feeling of having lived our lives fully.

I enjoyed the movie but imagine some people won’t understand it or the concept. There are odd characters throughout the movie. Kate Winslet’s character gets to talk dirty and her scenes are a highlight of the movie. The script could be better as it is abstract to say the least, I imagine with some additional script work to flesh out the film it would garner a higher rating. I’m rating this movie a little higher simply because of the direction and exceptional acting of the cast. Expect the unexpected in this film. Is it a musical? Is it a comedy? Is it a drama? Good question. Dive in and watch the great acting, put aside your preconceptions and enjoy the ride.

2005. Written and directed by John Tuturro. Starring Susan Sarandon, James Gandolfini, Kate Winslet, Mary Louise Parker, Aida Turturro, Steve Buscemi and Christopher Walken.

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