Steve Buscemi directs, writes and stars in Trees Lounge, a film focusing on a group of people who drink their life away at the Trees Lounge. He’s joined by Carol Kane, Mark Boone Junior, Anthony Lapaglia, Michael Buscemi, Chloe Sevigny, and many others, including a cameo from Samuel L. Jackson.
I’m a big Steve Buscemi fan, I think he brings something to every role he plays and this film is excellent. It’s a real authentic look at some darker aspects of human nature, like sloth and greed, and how we’re victim to our vices. The film has quite a wide range and it’s quite an ensemble picture; any one of the characters could be said to be the ‘main character’ and that their’s is the most important story, although Tommy (Steve Buscemi) is the one around who the film revolves around the most. The script was smart and genuine and all the characters felt like real people, as depressing as that is.
Rather than having a straightforward plot it’s more of a slice of life film and you get a sense of what happened before the film started and how things are going to carry on. Everyone in the film has their own troubles but Tommy’s are the ones we look at the most. He lost his job as a mechanic, had his girlfriend stolen by his best friend and now is drifting without purpose. And he’s surrounded by people who drown themselves in alcohol, drugs and sex. Some of the characters in the actual lounge only appear briefly but they all provide a reflection of periods of Tommy’s life. This is most obvious with Bill, and we get a sense that his fate is going to be Tommy’s too.
Tommy’s attitude is one of always looking for a reason to change. It’s a promise without any resolve. The change itself should be the reason, but he’s always looking for an outside influence to promote that change. The irony is that if he did actually change then perhaps he could get what he wanted, but he’s too numbed by life to even consider that. I think it’s a folly that many people can identify with and that gives the film a great deal of emotional weight. Despite its fairly short running time the film has a lot of substance and there’s a lot of things to think about. But I may be giving you the impression that this is quite a bleak, heavy movie, when it fact it moves along at a brisk pace and there are many farcical moments. The humor all comes from the characters and their interactions, and it all feels completely natural.
I thought the soundtrack was excellent too, and this is a film that you can immerse yourself in for an hour and a half and enjoy spending time with the characters. I think that if you’re a fan of Steve Buscemi then this is a no-brainer must-watch. If you aren’t a fan of Steve Buscemi then you will be after you watch this film.
