Romance & Cigarettes DVD Review

"Romance And Cigarettes" reviews

DVD

Romance And Cigarettes

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-07-18 15:41:26

Provider

DVD Review

A fun, slick New York-set musical starring James Gandolfini and Susan Sarandon as a working class couple in a tempestuous marriage. Get set for a story keenly directed by Coen brothers' regular, John Turturro.

Nick's an ironworker and married to Kitty, a strong woman who's clearly unfulfilled. They share their rough and ready home in Queens with their three grown-up daughters who want to be in a rock band. When Kitty discovers Nick's been carrying on a torrid affair with Tula, a brazen Irish-American harlot (a 'hot' Kate Winslet) she demands commitment from Nick. Torn, he must rebuild his family life or skip the whole deal and escape to Tula for good. As any man should, he lets his heart decide.

The whole episode is liberally sprinkled with hit tunes from the '40s to the '80s, making for an upbeat and up-tempo tale. The cast, who lip-synch and sing outright (both work brilliantly), are sharp and appealing, creating lovable characters in a neatly packaged story, which allows time for everyone to shine with dance routines and good sub-plotting. Turturro described its gritty urban setting as a "working class opera" but it's more – a striking 21st century romantic drama/musical that's raised the bar for anyone who dares follow.

Gandolfini breaks out of some half-beat recent movie roles, Sarandon is as sharp as ever and Mandy Moore, Mary Louise Parker and Aida Turturro (The Sopranos' Janice) convince as tightly-bonded sisters. Christopher Walken and Steve Buscemi pop up in great cameos, while Winslet is simply astounding.

Terrific fun, sexy and original with plenty of romance and wit, Romance And Cigarettes is outrageously hot stuff that demands to be seen.