Mandy Moore Movie:

Editorial Review:
Some musicals target families, others set their sights on more mature audiences (think Chicago). To judge by appearances, John Turturro's suburban operetta has little in common with Rob Marshall's urban razzle-dazzler, except it also aims for the melodrama-meets-film noir set--and features as much graphic language as Goodfellas. James Gandolfini sets the scene as Queens ironworker Nick Murder (Steve Buscemi plays his best pal). Nick's marriage to Kitty (Susan Sarandon) has hit the skids. His relationships with his daughters (Mandy Moore, Mary-Louise Parker, and John's cousin, Aida Turturro) are just as fraught. Then again, all women, including fiery mistress Tula (Kate Winslet), befuddle the lug. As in the works of Dennis Potter, characters express themselves through song--in this case, a combination of singing and lip-synching. And when they burst into a tune, everyone joins in, from sanitation workers to welders. The material ranges from crooner standards ("A Man without Love") to rock classics ("Piece of My Heart"). Like Potter's The Singing Detective, fantasy also commingles with reality (Kitty envisions her first love returning from the dead). Turturro's third directorial effort arrives as a labor of love--a difficult labor. When studio restructuring caused delays, he assumed distribution duties himself. Just as passion is rarely tidy, his Coen Brothers-produced movie can be messy--the tender moments play better than the boisterous ones--but the director's passion for his material shines through. It can also be very funny, especially when Cousin Bo (Christopher Walken) shakes a leg to Tom Jones's "Delilah." --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Romance & Cigarettes Reviews:
Great movie!!
2009-09-10 - Just a whole lot of fun! Characters are great, music and dancing are fanciful, funny lines and family dynamics, and even some touching moments. Couldn't ask for anything better!

Goofballs getting at each other
2009-08-22 - Film by John Turturro that is part musical, part comedy with most fantastically assembled cast one can come up with. Set in New Jersey-like area, this is a story of a working class family with three adult daughters at the moemnt that the husband and father or the family (James Gandolfini) is caught cheating on his wife (Susan Sarandon). The rage that transpires from his wife, is like a virus that catches on to all his daughters and even his own mother.

However, it is Kate Winslet who steals the show. She is the seductress that prefers emotionally unavailble men and they turn her on for as long as they are not in love with her. Once they do fall in love, the affair is over. Winslet has so much fun in this movie that it is hillarious to listen to her speak with ehr British accent, make love (to Gandolfini's character) and get into a cat fight with no ther woman ut Susan Sarandon! In one scene, she is thrown into a water by Gandolfini's character and she looks like a mermaid with her flaming red hair, beautifully sculpted face and most amazing costume made up of Agent Provocateour underwear.

It is a funny movie with really cool choreography and mix of musical scores. Even the people who are not fans of musicals (myself included) will enjoy this goofball movie.

I'm telling everyone I know to watch this movie
2009-06-28 - This is truly a wonderful piece of entertainment. Guided well by the Coen brothers, John Turturro offers us this gem of a "home-made musical" filled with a stunning cast. It's clear these actors had a ball performing and this infects the viewers world.
If you enjoy great acting, infectious storytelling, and complete inane seemingly non-sequiturs that take you on a merry-go-round of enjoyment: watch this film.

A definite "cult" extravaganza
2009-04-09 - This rather obscure movie is quirky, delightful and resonant of our society's shift of cultural values, away from community, loyalty and humanity. It reveals the desire of humans to be together, to be loved and to excel, be our best from emotional, human support. We've lost our way and given it up to technology. The characters are exemplary of real people struggling to connect, not just until the next new thing comes along, but to reality and commitment to those we've embraced as friends, family and partners. As ever John Turtorro is a master of showing us who we really are and even more - who we need to be to thrive...

Unhappy
2009-03-18 - Romance and Cigarettes is great. The replacement cassette player sucks. It another loser from Photoland. The link you gave me was inaccessible. I am fairly livid now. I have no useful way to contact you, and a player which when it goes is like a 33 1/3 album playing at 78. Get the picture ?