Rating: 
Summary: It's as though you climbed into an Edward Hopper painting.
Review: "Trees Lounge" is a well made, dark movie about a man in the suburban NY area played by Steve Buscemi who is deeply alienated and is in the process of falling apart, one of Marx's lumpenproletariat. It's very affecting, and I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Review: A BIG little film by writer/director/star Steve Buscemi helped by a healthy cast and witty script, TREES LOUNGE is the indie version of CHEERS to a certain degree. A good character study with Buscemi as Tommy, an umemployed car mechanic dealing with his mistakes( past and present) and drowning his sorrows at a local hole-in-the-wall bar. Buscemi's performance is low key yet full of life as the well-meaning lovable misfit who loses his job, girlfriend, an Uncle and gets involved (innocently platonical) with his 17 year old niece, Debbie (Chloë Sevigny). He puts his life together somewhat as he takes over his dead Uncle's Ice Cream Truck business but trouble abounds as he takes on Debbie as an "assistant". There is an intertwined sideplot with fellow barfly Mike (Mark Boone, Jr.)who has just moved out from the city into the Long Island suburbs with his family. He is a bored furniture moving contractor who has ended up "running his business" from the bar much to the dismay of his wife. Some excellent support roles especially Carol Kane as barmaid Connie and some short but weighty cameos from Mimi Rogers, and Samuel Jackson, Debi Mezar, Anthony LaPaglia,Daniel Baldwin, and Seymore Cassel and some great Long Island location shots makes TREES LOUNGE a fun and interesting movie to watch for its characters as the movie doesn't resolve and sugercoat problems, but somehow gives a good portrait of well meaning but empty lives of an existing population in anywhere U.S.A.
Rating: 
Summary: TREES LOUNGE
Review: A MOVIE THAT ARE VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE THE ACTORS ARE GOODS
Rating:
Summary: Steve Buscemi shines like never before
Review: Anyone can take a story about heroes--or for that matter, strong antiheroes and villains--and hold a viewer's interest for the duration of a movie. And many's the hum-drum film about which it could be said "but the scenery was breath-taking." Tree Lounge has none of that going for it, which means that Buscemi had his work cut out for him from the time he first had an idea about making the film.The regular patrons of Trees Lounge are an interesting mix. Especially interesting are those who spend their lives in the place--literally the entire day. We have all heard that "even the dull and the ignorant have their story." Buscemi handles the supporting characters by letting us see the puzzling story of the one successful denizen, which leaves the viewer wondering what the stories of the others may have been. Tommy, Buscemi's character, is the irresponsible, anti-social but somehow engaging alcoholic we have all met along the way. He wants others to bond with him, but he is incapable of holding up his end of any relationship. Tommy's the sort who would be the first to tell you that he never asked anybody to get hooked on him or to trust in him. Therefore, if anyone ever suffered the consequences for doing so, it isn't his fault. And he will be the first to tell you, too, that he is not an alcoholic and that what drinking he does do hurts nobody but himself. And he didn't steal that $1500 from his employer; he just borrowed it and was going to put it back after his successful (in the planning stages) trip to Atlantic City. As the film cruises towards its close, we see Tommy facing for perhaps the first time that he has had love all his life, but he abused it until it became lost to him. He tries to go back to all the people who once cared for him, only to find them all too hurt and burned out to want to be involved in his life anymore. At the end when Tommy seats himself in the barstool normally resolved for Trees' oldest all-day drinker (who is then in the hospital dying [probably] alone [definitely]), Buscemi's face is a study as the character seems to deeply internize the double meaning of the words from the bartender and customers who protest, "Hey! You're in Bill's seat." Will he ever get out of it? Who knows? This is a story about little people in a little bar in a little town--but it is a hugely satisfying film. This is one not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Walk in, pull up a stool, have a drink...
Review: Being a very huge Steve Buscemi fan, I was thrilled to learn that a DVD version of Trees Lounge is to be released. I saw the movie on Showtime when it premeared and it was superb. It wasn't the greatest movie ever, it did have it's flaws but all and all its good viewing material about life. Oh and it's interesting to see all the bar tricks pulled during the film. And Jackson was a great touch. Good job Buscemi! I enjoyed the movie!
Rating:
Summary: A Magisterial Effort
Review: Boy, am I glad I took the time to watch this movie! I suspect "Trees Lounge," a low budget 1996 film directed, written, and starred in by veteran character actor Steve Buscemi, slipped under a lot of people's radar. What a shame. This film ranks as one of the best dramas I have seen in quite some time. Most people would probably recognize Buscemi from his many appearances in films ranging from the Adam Sandler vehicle "Billy Madison" to the dark comedy "Ed and His Dead Mother." Well, Steve isn't putting on lipstick in this intense dark comedy about a New York loser and his relationships with like-minded souls living out their miserable existences at a neighborhood bar named Trees Lounge. I will never look at Steve Buscemi the same way after viewing this picture, and why this talented individual isn't getting more attention is beyond me. "Trees Lounge" is that good. Buscemi plays Tommy, a poor soul whose life spirals out of control day after day. He lost his job after taking some liberties with his employer's safe, lost his girlfriend to that same boss, cannot stop drinking to save his life, isn't above using drugs, and entangles himself in a relationship with the seventeen year old daughter of his former girlfriend's sister. Even worse, Tommy can't seem to land another job as a mechanic because his former employer badmouths him whenever someone calls for a reference. Tommy ultimately breaks down and takes a job as the driver of an ice cream truck, a position that causes more problems than solutions. He can't even pick up a girl at the bar without something bad happening. In a country where millions of people barely keep their heads above water, Tommy serves as an archetype of the lost soul. Arguably, his biggest problem stems from the fact that he blames everyone else for his own problems. Even when he approaches his former girlfriend with the intent to change for the better, he cannot do so without stating that he needs an external object to bring about that change (in this case, a child). In short, Tommy is afraid to look deep into his soul because he won't like what he will find there. Part of Tommy's problem rests on the fact that he lives above the bar, along with a few other losers like Billy, an old coot whose life melts away one drink at a time. By the end of the film, the viewer wonders whether Tommy will replace Billy at the bar and in life. "Trees Lounge" does display comedic elements from time to time, giving rise to a situation where you laugh at scenes you know you shouldn't be chortling over. For example, there is the scene where the daytime bartender at Trees Lounge bets Tommy ten dollars that he cannot walk out of the bar without taking a drink. Tommy sneers at such a ridiculous proposition, wisecracking his way around the issue until finally forced to take the bet. He starts to walk away with the money, quickly reaches for his drink, downs it, and runs out of the bar. While the scene brings a smile to your face, you know at the same time that you are watching a man with a serious alcohol problem who probably isn't going to seek help anytime soon. I found the disheveled drunk who can't seem to keep his family together but who owns a moving company and a fancy house amusing, although it is an amusement tempered with a sense of sorrow for his inability to communicate with his own family. "Trees Lounge" plays your emotions like a master violinist handling a priceless instrument. The supporting cast floating in and out of "Trees Lounge" staggers the mind. Chloe Sevigny, Debi Mazar, Daniel Baldwin, Mimi Rogers, Carol Kane, Samuel L. Jackson, and Anthony LaPaglia all appear in roles both major and minor. Buscemi must have called in a bunch of favors for his film, and the recognizable faces definitely provide the otherwise dreary atmosphere of Tommy's life with a little glitter. Sevigny especially shines as the flirty yet wise Debbie, the teenage girl who accompanies Tommy on his ice cream rounds and who helps bring down a whole lot of trouble for him. The DVD version promises a commentary by Steve Buscemi and a music video by one of the soundtrack groups, but the version I watched included none of these extras. That is unfortunate, too, because I would really like to hear what Buscemi says about this spectacular effort. Ultimately, "Trees Lounge" offers no definitive conclusions about Tommy's life, no concrete resolutions about where he will end up. In this way, the film mirrors real life where we cannot arrive at certainties from mere snapshots of a specific time in a person's existence. Who knows? Maybe Tommy will snap out of his malaise and finally live his life to the fullest, or maybe his doom sits right around the corner. Whatever the result, the fascinating "Trees Lounge" sits on a video store shelf near you awaiting your attentions. Run, don't walk, to see this film.
Rating:
Summary: A Magisterial Effort
Review: Boy, am I glad I took the time to watch this movie! I suspect "Trees Lounge," a low budget 1996 film directed, written, and starred in by veteran character actor Steve Buscemi, slipped under a lot of people's radar. What a shame. This film ranks as one of the best dramas I have seen in quite some time. Most people would probably recognize Buscemi from his many appearances in films ranging from the Adam Sandler vehicle "Billy Madison" to the dark comedy "Ed and His Dead Mother." Well, Steve isn't putting on lipstick in this intense dark comedy about a New York loser and his relationships with like-minded souls living out their miserable existences at a neighborhood bar named Trees Lounge. I will never look at Steve Buscemi the same way after viewing this picture, and why this talented individual isn't getting more attention is beyond me. "Trees Lounge" is that good. Buscemi plays Tommy, a poor soul whose life spirals out of control day after day. He lost his job after taking some liberties with his employer's safe, lost his girlfriend to that same boss, cannot stop drinking to save his life, isn't above using drugs, and entangles himself in a relationship with the seventeen year old daughter of his former girlfriend's sister. Even worse, Tommy can't seem to land another job as a mechanic because his former employer badmouths him whenever someone calls for a reference. Tommy ultimately breaks down and takes a job as the driver of an ice cream truck, a position that causes more problems than solutions. He can't even pick up a girl at the bar without something bad happening. In a country where millions of people barely keep their heads above water, Tommy serves as an archetype of the lost soul. Arguably, his biggest problem stems from the fact that he blames everyone else for his own problems. Even when he approaches his former girlfriend with the intent to change for the better, he cannot do so without stating that he needs an external object to bring about that change (in this case, a child). In short, Tommy is afraid to look deep into his soul because he won't like what he will find there. Part of Tommy's problem rests on the fact that he lives above the bar, along with a few other losers like Billy, an old coot whose life melts away one drink at a time. By the end of the film, the viewer wonders whether Tommy will replace Billy at the bar and in life. "Trees Lounge" does display comedic elements from time to time, giving rise to a situation where you laugh at scenes you know you shouldn't be chortling over. For example, there is the scene where the daytime bartender at Trees Lounge bets Tommy ten dollars that he cannot walk out of the bar without taking a drink. Tommy sneers at such a ridiculous proposition, wisecracking his way around the issue until finally forced to take the bet. He starts to walk away with the money, quickly reaches for his drink, downs it, and runs out of the bar. While the scene brings a smile to your face, you know at the same time that you are watching a man with a serious alcohol problem who probably isn't going to seek help anytime soon. I found the disheveled drunk who can't seem to keep his family together but who owns a moving company and a fancy house amusing, although it is an amusement tempered with a sense of sorrow for his inability to communicate with his own family. "Trees Lounge" plays your emotions like a master violinist handling a priceless instrument. The supporting cast floating in and out of "Trees Lounge" staggers the mind. Chloe Sevigny, Debi Mazar, Daniel Baldwin, Mimi Rogers, Carol Kane, Samuel L. Jackson, and Anthony LaPaglia all appear in roles both major and minor. Buscemi must have called in a bunch of favors for his film, and the recognizable faces definitely provide the otherwise dreary atmosphere of Tommy's life with a little glitter. Sevigny especially shines as the flirty yet wise Debbie, the teenage girl who accompanies Tommy on his ice cream rounds and who helps bring down a whole lot of trouble for him. The DVD version promises a commentary by Steve Buscemi and a music video by one of the soundtrack groups, but the version I watched included none of these extras. That is unfortunate, too, because I would really like to hear what Buscemi says about this spectacular effort. Ultimately, "Trees Lounge" offers no definitive conclusions about Tommy's life, no concrete resolutions about where he will end up. In this way, the film mirrors real life where we cannot arrive at certainties from mere snapshots of a specific time in a person's existence. Who knows? Maybe Tommy will snap out of his malaise and finally live his life to the fullest, or maybe his doom sits right around the corner. Whatever the result, the fascinating "Trees Lounge" sits on a video store shelf near you awaiting your attentions. Run, don't walk, to see this film.
Rating:
Summary: Buscemi delivers!
Review: I don't think it's necessary to go into too much detail regarding the story, it's been outlined well enough by previous reviewers. I'll only add that I appreciate this movie more with each viewing. I have seen it approximately four or five times, and everytime I notice something new, or think about a different aspect of a character / circumstance. This is a really interesting movie, and one of the more realistic portrayals of life I've ever seen in film. Steve Buscemi won a place in my heart by being the writer, director, and star. It shows that he is a very insightful man, which might explain his brilliant performances in just about every other movie he's participated in. In closing, this is a beautiful film in every regard, and it's a shame that more people I speak with about it have never even heard of it.
Rating:
Summary: Very Realistic
Review: I lived in the town portrayed in trees lounge. I have even had an occasional drink at that bar. I can clearly say this a movie where art imitates life.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant "slice-of-life" story
Review: If you're looking for fast-paced action and excitement, look at other movies. If you want a candid look at the life of an unemployed mechanic in a small Long Island town, then this is your movie.*ha* This is definitely not the sort of material that catches the eye of the masses, but if you are a viewer that appreciates realism and true-to-life situations...a movie in which the characters are utterly believable, then you will enjoy this movie immensely. There is no tongue-in-cheek humor here. Most of the humor is born of the situations, which, once again, are utterly believable Scenes are funniest to me when I actually BELIEVE that they could happen and I can identify with the characters reactions. That is very much the case here. Steve Buscemi's commentary is very interest ing and in it he explains his connection to many of the other actors. The viewer also gets to hear about many aspects of the movie...from conception to performance to editing because this was Buscemi's movie from start to finish. Performance s are excellent across the board, with a cameo by Samuel L. Jackson and small parts by a number of other names that you will recognize. Incidentally there are FIVE actors in this movie that were also in Goodfellas. Overall, a fine production from a person that I already knew to be a good actor, but I now also know as a great writer and director.
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