GOTTA SEE IT # 16 - "TREES LOUNGE"
“TREES LOUNGE”
Starring: Carol Kane, Mark Boone Junior, Steve Buscemi, Bronson Dudley, Anthony La Paglia, Michael Buscemi, Elizabeth Bracco, John Ventimiglia, Debi Mazar, Chloe Sevigny, Mimi Rogers, Samuel Jackson, Michael Imperioli, Daniel Baldwin, Seymour Cassel.
Written by: Steve Buscemi
Directed by: Steve Buscemi
Colour – 1996
95 mins.
U.S.A.
There’s a neat moment early on in "Trees Lounge" where two men meet and shake hands for the first time. Doesn’t sound too dramatic, does it? They don’t argue or throw punches. Heck, they don’t even say so much as a bad word to one another, yet, this clever, subtle bit resonates for the rest of the film.
Representing actor Steve Buscemi’s feature writing/directing debut, TL is a well-observed character study about a man who refuses to grow up. Buscemi, himself, plays Tommy, an out of work mechanic who is still reeling from being dumped by his now pregnant girlfriend - who has since hooked up with his best friend. Now that’s painful enough, but what’s really hurting Tommy has nothing to with unemployment or the betrayal of a close friend. They are the dominos. The initial "push" that caused them to fall, one by one, is where the title comes into play. A neighbourhood bar that functions as a home away from home for many of its’ regulars, "Trees Lounge" is where Tommy’s problems begin and end. He’s an alcoholic, not doubt about it, but, somehow, he can’t see the forest from the...you get it.
Filled with solid, naturalistic performances, Buscemi offers up a convincing portrait of a working class world of the responsible and irresponsible. There are those who have moved on from the adolescent world of excuses and excesses and have embraced the demands of the adult world. Then there are those like Tommy who are still making it up as they go along, certain that one day, magically, all their problems will disappear in a drink and they will, finally, find themselves to be who they always wanted to be.
There are two key people orbiting around Tommy who keep him firmly mired in his long past due adolescence. One is Mike (Mark Boone Junior) - a married man and father who, though he has accepted the added responsibilities of adulthood, consistently fumbles the snap and is forever calling the wrong plays. He’s a gloriously goofy mess. Then there is Chloe Sevigny. Ah, Chloe – my vote for the one actress who could get wood from a dead man. Here, she plays Debbie - a cute, flirty teenager for whom Tommy clearly has a thing. They are both symbols as much as people. She represents the illusory promise of eternal youth – all excitement and silliness with fleeting, shallow pleasures always just a kiss, a puff or a sip away. She is the pretty wrapping paper. Tear it off and open the gift and what you’ll find is Mike – an embarrassing oaf of a man who has mistaken a game of chess for checkers.
Sad, funny, haunting, TL is never phony and almost always dead on target. Pick it up, give it a look and, depending on your age, you’ll either find it to be a funny reflection of your current life, a queasy/pleasant trip down memory lane, or a nagging reminder of a To-Do List with one key item that has yet to be crossed off.
Starring: Carol Kane, Mark Boone Junior, Steve Buscemi, Bronson Dudley, Anthony La Paglia, Michael Buscemi, Elizabeth Bracco, John Ventimiglia, Debi Mazar, Chloe Sevigny, Mimi Rogers, Samuel Jackson, Michael Imperioli, Daniel Baldwin, Seymour Cassel.
Written by: Steve Buscemi
Directed by: Steve Buscemi
Colour – 1996
95 mins.
U.S.A.
There’s a neat moment early on in "Trees Lounge" where two men meet and shake hands for the first time. Doesn’t sound too dramatic, does it? They don’t argue or throw punches. Heck, they don’t even say so much as a bad word to one another, yet, this clever, subtle bit resonates for the rest of the film.
Representing actor Steve Buscemi’s feature writing/directing debut, TL is a well-observed character study about a man who refuses to grow up. Buscemi, himself, plays Tommy, an out of work mechanic who is still reeling from being dumped by his now pregnant girlfriend - who has since hooked up with his best friend. Now that’s painful enough, but what’s really hurting Tommy has nothing to with unemployment or the betrayal of a close friend. They are the dominos. The initial "push" that caused them to fall, one by one, is where the title comes into play. A neighbourhood bar that functions as a home away from home for many of its’ regulars, "Trees Lounge" is where Tommy’s problems begin and end. He’s an alcoholic, not doubt about it, but, somehow, he can’t see the forest from the...you get it.
Filled with solid, naturalistic performances, Buscemi offers up a convincing portrait of a working class world of the responsible and irresponsible. There are those who have moved on from the adolescent world of excuses and excesses and have embraced the demands of the adult world. Then there are those like Tommy who are still making it up as they go along, certain that one day, magically, all their problems will disappear in a drink and they will, finally, find themselves to be who they always wanted to be.
There are two key people orbiting around Tommy who keep him firmly mired in his long past due adolescence. One is Mike (Mark Boone Junior) - a married man and father who, though he has accepted the added responsibilities of adulthood, consistently fumbles the snap and is forever calling the wrong plays. He’s a gloriously goofy mess. Then there is Chloe Sevigny. Ah, Chloe – my vote for the one actress who could get wood from a dead man. Here, she plays Debbie - a cute, flirty teenager for whom Tommy clearly has a thing. They are both symbols as much as people. She represents the illusory promise of eternal youth – all excitement and silliness with fleeting, shallow pleasures always just a kiss, a puff or a sip away. She is the pretty wrapping paper. Tear it off and open the gift and what you’ll find is Mike – an embarrassing oaf of a man who has mistaken a game of chess for checkers.
Sad, funny, haunting, TL is never phony and almost always dead on target. Pick it up, give it a look and, depending on your age, you’ll either find it to be a funny reflection of your current life, a queasy/pleasant trip down memory lane, or a nagging reminder of a To-Do List with one key item that has yet to be crossed off.
1 comment:
This is a must see... er, uh... GOTTA SEE. So sad... so funny... so cringingly good.
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