Coffee and Cigarettes

Plot

Eleven separate vignettes are presented. In each, celebrities, playing semi-fictionalized versions of themselves (with the exception of the characters of various wait staff, and one actor playing a lookalike cousin of herself), meet in a food service establishment with coffee/tea and cigarettes involved. Beyond the topic of discussion that brought them together, they often talk directly about coffee and cigarettes, more often that coffee and cigarettes, and by association caffeine and nicotine, are not healthy, especially if they are the only things constituting lunch. Other recurring themes include the Lee family, cousinhood, celebrity worship, the connection between the medical and musical careers, and Nikola Tesla's belief that the Earth is a conductor of acoustic resonance. In all cases, the coming together for coffee/tea and smokes acts as a bridge to overcome disagreements, and/or makes uncomfortable situations less uncomfortable.

Why watch

A group of disparate characters, from musicians to actors, gather in a café, each with their own stories and quirks. As they sip coffee and smoke cigarettes, their conversations meander through the trivial and the profound, revealing the absurdity of their lives and the connections they seek. Watching it feels like eavesdropping on a series of intimate, yet often awkward, encounters that challenge the boundaries of social interaction.

Talking points

• the nature of celebrity
• the role of coffee and cigarettes in social interactions
• the absurdity of small talk
• the intersection of art and life

Cultural context

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