Cigarettes & Coffee

About This Movie

Cigarettes & Coffee is an intriguing slice-of-life piece, you know? Set in this dusty diner, it brings together five characters whose lives intertwine through the simple act of passing around a twenty-dollar bill. The atmosphere is so thick, you can almost taste the tension. Philip Baker Hall really draws you in with his performance—there's a depth to his character that makes you sit up and pay attention. The pacing's methodical, almost hypnotic, lending itself to the explorations of chance and coincidence. It's fascinating how something so minimal was shot on a shoestring budget but resonates so much thematically. Plus, it laid the groundwork for Anderson’s later work, which is always fun to note when discussing his evolution as a filmmaker.

Shot on a budget of just $20,000.Premiere at Sundance Film Festival.Inspiration for Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Hard Eight'.