Convenient, slow and self-indulgent.

Rating: 3/10 (13 June 2006)

Jim Jarmusch is a lucky man. His movies are anything but original in concept, the most memorable dialog is generally improvised by his actors, and his shooting style is slow, 2-dimensional and predictable. Even through all of this, he manages to net a cult following and is able to assemble all-star ensembles, such as with this film, "Coffee and Cigarettes." What started as a sub-par, decidedly "who cares" short film skit in the eighties, has ballooned into a much-too-lengthy farce on social interactions in diners and bars, featuring a handful of similar and droning bits all revolving around one topic: What you talk about over coffee and cigarettes. After the first bit, you get a feel for the rest of the film quickly: Awkward, dry banter full of esoteric references and cute statistics. After the third and fourth, you get that the interactions are awkward and playing off of the actors' real-life personas in an ironic way. It's like a knock-knock joke; Yes, Jim. We get it, but we're only laughing because of who's telling the joke--not who wrote it, and certainly not because of the joke itself. My recommendation for you, the potential viewer, is this: If you're a rabid fan of anyone appearing in the film, then go for it. Fast-forward to the bit containing Jack White or Iggy Pop, and don't bother watching the rest. Trust me on this one. Go to a diner and actually HAVE a conversation, instead. It'll be much more enlightening.