200 Cigarettes (1999)

Trying to cash in on the '80s-nostalgia bandwagon, this New Year's Eve ensemble comedy, set in 1981 Manhattan, offers a vintage soundtrack, some memorable fashion statements, and most notably a talented ensemble that's pretty much all dressed up with no place to go. The large cast--featuring such bleeding-edge actors as Christina Ricci, Ben Affleck, Paul Rudd, Janeane Garofalo, Jay Mohr, and a surprisingly demure Courtney Love--does manage to exude some charm, but in all the cross-cutting between numerous subplots we never get a chance to spend much time with anyone. Just when the story about two friends (Rudd and Love) who decide to have sex starts to get interesting, we're thrust into the adventures of two Long Island girls (Ricci and an uncannily authentic Gaby Hoffman) lost in SoHo. And then when they get picked up by two punk boys, it's off to the uncomfortable second date between an egotistical actor (Mohr) and the young virgin he just deflowered last night (Kate Hudson, Goldie Hawn's daughter), and then off to even more characters, etc. The closest we get to a focal point in the film is a dizzyingly hysterical Martha Plimpton (better than she's been in a while), the hostess of the party everyone's going to--except no one's shown up yet, sending Plimpton into neurotic rages about crab dip going bad. Longtime casting director Risa Bramon Garcia, making her directorial debut, exhibits a fine hand with her actors--she succeeds in making Courtney Love a believably insecure firebrand who when drunk sings along to "Through the Eyes of Love"--but trips herself up by diluting her characters' misadventures. As a result, Affleck's charmingly goofy bartender gets lost in the shuffle, and Garofalo's part is reduced to a glorified cameo (though she lights up the screen when she's on). Make sure, though, you take in the wide-eyed Hudson, who at times seems to be channeling her mother's mannerisms and speech inflections to great if eerie comic effect. Nobody's mixed innocence, sexiness, and physical comedy so deftly since... well, Goldie Hawn. Also, look for Elvis Costello in a brief but pivotal cameo. --Mark Englehart Amazon.com

We watch this every New Year

This movie starts out a little slow but is well worth hanging in there. It's a funny take on '80s mentality with several story lines. I laugh out loud just thinking back to lots of scenes, including a memorable thread that features Dave Chapelle as a stoned philosopher/cab driver, interacting with lots of the characters that move in and out of focus in this film. It's one of my holiday favorites. December 6, 2008

Great movie

it is a great movie, super fun, it just hasn't like the box design or anything. October 5, 2007

New Year's Tradition

I haven't watched my copy of the movie yet, but I simply love this flick. My sister and I watch this with friends every year around New Year's. It's become tradition. The movie is funny, cynical, happy, has a great cast, and is just plain great. September 27, 2007

200 Cigarettes- one of the best all-time movies!!

I had seen this movie once on tv a long time ago since it was released in the early 80's. The movie shows the best of the 80's in the way they dressed, talked and partied- you will instantly want to go back to those days!!

The whole movie takes place over one new year's eve in new york and is so entertaining, wickedly funny with an intelligent comic scenes throughout the movie. Everybody managed to act so naturally; when they are drunk, happy or angry it is breathtaking and makes you giggle all the way.
Ben Affleck, Courtney Love, Kate Hudson, Paul Rudd, Dave Chapelle, Janeane Garofalo, Christina Ricci all in one movie!

Highlights issues like friendship between a guy and a girl, then getting drunk and messing it up, falling in love, virginity& innocence, despair on new years eve on getting off with any guy, teenagers& punks and the madness about this endless night. Rumour has it that they really do smoke 200 cigs during the film.

Puts you in a brilliant party and friends mood! The 80's were fantastic! So much fun, why not make part 2? June 2, 2007

great 80's movie

I love, love love this movie. Dave Chappelle is soooo funny. It has a great cast and a very funny story line. May 14, 2007

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