Review of Chinese Coffee (2000) by Tom B — 30 Oct 2010
Al Pacino added flashbacks to the original play's script in order to break up the constant stream of dialogue, and in the special features, Pacino wonders if they're too much. They are because nothing significant happens during them, and the same can be said about the film's main action. So little happens in the one-on-one interplay that it fails to compel ... until the end. Pacino's final monologue almost makes it worth the wait.
The film centers on artists, and I suspect that its audience is limited to the people it concerns. Despite its obvious flaws, being in this group and having experienced an utter lack of money to keep me going, I enjoyed many parts of this film's action. Pacino and Orbach are fantastic, but they would've been even better if the film had a little more meat and raised the stakes of the conflict.
This review of Chinese Coffee (2000) was written by Tom B on 30 Oct 2010.
Chinese Coffee has generally received positive reviews.
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