Review of 200 Cigarettes (1999) by Little A — 13 Jun 2007

Fantastic cast! It's like Can't Hardly Wait for the 80s.

It's a cute, simple little story. Different stories that come together on New Years even 1981!

Fun stuff!

It needed a good cast in order to work - otherwise it would have been a flop.

Martha Plimpton (Monica) is throwing a New Year's Eve party at her apartment, and is stressed to the max when NO ONE has shown up by 9:30 PM, then 10:00 PM, then 11:00 PM! She is stressed to the max, when the only person who is there is her friend played by Catherine Kellner (Hillary), who decides to leave anyway because she's depressed by her boring friend.

Monica's ex-bf Brian McCardie (Eric) ends up showing up to her apartment, and is the only one with her. Listening to his complaints about being dumped on New Years depresses Monica even further and decides to get just wasted!

Eric who was dumped earlier by Nicole Ari Parker (Bridget) who is an artsy fun loving character who vows with her friend Angela Featherstone(Caitlyn) to not be dateless on New Year's eve because it is a curse! They are going around the New York to find a suitable man!

One of their suitors is Ben Affleck (who we only know as the bartender).

Meanwhile - youngsters Christina Rici (Val) and Gaby Hoffman (Stephani who is paranoid about being in the wrong side of the tracks), are lost trying to find Val's cousin's apartment and are without a phone. I mean it is in the 80's, no one has a cell phone! These two hook up with quiet man punk rocker Guillmero Diaz (Dave), and Casey Affleck (Tom).

During all of this very clutzy Kate Hudson plays a memorable role as a "virgin" (Cindy) who is on history's worst date ever with Jay Mohr (Jack) who is a genuinely big headed prick! The date is the worst ever, and is supposed to end up at the New Years party.

Finally - Paul Rudd plays a memorable character as (Kevin). This emotional, recently dumped guy, who isn't quite sure what to do. He was just dumped by Janeane Garofalo (Ellie), and is going around on New years totally depressed with his best friend Courtney Love (Lucy), who is a slut who like's to get down (not quite such a stretch for Courtney Love!

To tie all these characters together is Dave Chappelle who is a fun loving pot smoking cabbie, who at one point or another takes all the characters around in the cab at some point during the night.

It's a fun movie! Lot's of intertwined relationships. Great art direction, simple plot, nice filming.

A must see. Enjoy!