Syl Brooklyn, New York has changed over the last 18 years since this film first premiered. The location near Prospect Park is now one of the most desirable locales to live and reside in the borough and even in New York City. Brooklyn's transformation from a working class borough has changed in some parts. Brooklyn has become hip for the trend setters. It also gentrified in areas especially near the Prospect Park, Brooklyn's Central Park. Still, the film reminds me of another time when Brooklyn wasn't so hip or trendy but real. The people of Brooklyn and New York City like Harvey Keitel, Lou Reed, and others recall their likes and dislikes as well. They spend their time smoking at the Brooklyn Cigar Shop where Augie played by Keitel is the manager but not the owner. The cast includes top notch performers like Lily Tomlin, Lou Reed, Roseanne, Mira Sorvino, etc. A lot of the film's script seems improvised but it makes the film more authentic to documenting the life in a day.

Andre Dahl definitely worth a watch this movie is about Brooklyn in New york city and people living there. The Story is about a small tobacco shop with interviews of various people living in Brooklyn about Brooklyn. so its almost like a documentary in its own way. It got a good story and lots of tales to tell about people and their lives. Not an action movie more of a calm story type of movie with a lot of talking that gives you a lot of insight into peoples lives in that area and a personal story of the tobacco salesman that works in the shop.

Sleepensheep Actors can improvise when a script is provided to build from, but this movie started only with characters and then allowed bad actors, and horrible writers, to deliver off the cuff lines. This is the movie actors do when they want to "really experience their craft". Unfortunately, one learns, without writers, these actors have no craft. The movie is most unfortunate because it followed a very nice movie, "Smoke", and came from a very good write, "Auster". Someone, Auster and Wang most off all, should have finished the movie but then recognize it for what it is, a behind the scenes ego-trip for everyone involved, and just included it as an interesting bit on the Smoke DVD.

Henry Fields After filming Smoke, director Wayne Wang and writer Paul Auster (along with most of the crew and cast from that movie) decided to improvise some kind of tribute to the Brooklyn district. So we find the same tobacconist's in the same street-corner, and managed by the same guy (Harvey Keitel). Surrealist reflexions, small talks, and some of the freaks/weirdos that make up the Brooklyn "fauna". Auster and Wang invited to take part in this "hobby" some of their friends, such as Jim Jarmusch, Lou Reed, Roseanne, and Madonna in person. Take it or leave it. I don't think they made this movie with any pretension in particular but to have fun, and improvise. So don't you think you'll find here sort of a masterpiece, nor the biggest script ever, 'cause you won't. It has some acid and lucid sequences, and lots of witty dialogues... and for the non-americans Blue In The Face is such a good way to know about Brooklyn's ways of life and history. That's all. My rate: 7/10