Trees Lounge Reviews

This is a movie I've been meaning to see for ten years or so but just never got around to. Similarily, most of the characters in this film have been meaning to do something with their life, but they too just never got around to doing it. Some of these stories can work well on screen, but through much of the movie Trees Lounge stumbles around as aimlessly as the local drunks that frequent the bar of the same name. Strong performances by an ecclectic cast backed by convincing writing keep this film from exhausting all the audiences interest and sympathy. And I suppose that's a good thing because, while the first hour doesn't do much to warrant strong feelings one way or the other, the final 25 minutes do break out and speak in a voice that finally feels confident and important in its message. This is not to say this film is essential viewing. We've seen this story before and we've seen it done better. But credit Buscemi for lending a sense of quiet reverence and humility in the way he approaches his character and the stories and non-stories he lives. There's a sort of sad charm to this film that works in its favor, but in the end I just didn't like it as much as I wanted to.