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Smoke didn’t age well. That’s pretty ironic, considering how smoking is used as a technique to prevent spoilage in food as it aged. Smoke approaches the “mind your business” culture of urban cities at a different angle, arguing that such a premise should not exist. We’re first introduced to this theme when Auggie shares his photo album with Paul Benjamin. The photo album, as explained by Auggie, is a symbol of the life and changes that occur within the little corner of the single block his store occupies. While he cannot hope to learn all about the entire world, he knows he can learn from the small changes that occur within his little corner, essentially comparing his “urban corner” to that of a tight-knit community whose lives he has an intimate relationship with. Small things like the weather, clothes, and people change every day. Paul comes to realize this truth as he sees his late-wife in a recent photo Auggie has taken. So why do I think that Smoke didn’t age well?
Because the film itself isn’t even about smoke. There’s too much emphasis on the smoke and what it represents. The characters smoke every time they interact with each other. Smoking opens a dialogue between the different characters and allows them to express their thoughts and feelings. Auggie explains how cigar smoke is similar to the soul itself. In a way, the smoke shared by characters is demonstrates how each character’s lives are interconnected in spite of their different backgrounds. However, the smoke itself isn’t significant to the theme of the film. Its true significance lies in how the characters are constantly moving. Smoke dissipates into the atmosphere. Auggie tells Paul to slow down when viewing his photo album, suggesting a Carpe-Diem philosophy. Trains are seen passing overhead whenever the characters move to a new environment or are undergoing a critical juncture in their life. Thomas/Rashid walks to find his biological father. The five thousand dollars moves between character. Characters like Ruby’s daughter don’t try to move and reject change. The unnamed lady passed away after “meeting her son”. Ruby’s daughter refuses to move (i.e. connect with her father), which ultimately leads her to regret her decision. Cyrus Cole’s prosthetic arm reminds him of his past tragedy but is able to move forward by reconnecting with his lost son.
Even as the characters suffer mental (Paul’s loss of his wife and Ruby’s difficulty in connecting with her daughter) and physical obstacles (Cyrus’ prosthetic arm and the grandma’s blindness), the film pushes the importance of moving forward despite the losses one face.
The smoke is the glue that connects the characters and pushes them forward. By providing a medium for dialogue between their struggles, the characters are able to move forward.
Hi Chris,
I agree that smoke is a metaphor, however I disagree that the film aged poorly because the film “isn’t even about smoke”. My opinion is partly attributed to that most of my favorite movies have a lot of smoking in them, (Fight Club, Goodfellas) so smoking seemed to filter through my senses as ordinary and commonplace. A similar filtration would occur with someone who watches recent movies where characters are using iPhones. Additionally, I think that the title of the movie is meant to be “not even about smoke”. In my opinion, the screenwriter was aware that naming the film Smoke would throw the audience off balance, as the movie’s essence has nothing to do with smoking.
Javier Jbara
Oops. I said the film aged poorly as a joke (referencing how smoked meats usually don’t spoil as quickly). I’m mostly suggesting that the film’s emphasis on smoking is significant in the sense that it serves as a medium for helping push the characters forward in their lives. Almost every exchange between characters involves the smoking of a cigar. Even Rashid is seen smoking with Paul as they watch the ball game. However, I think it’s interesting to note that using smoke as a medium for connection is symbolically contradictory. Smoke often obscures a person’s view, making it difficult to see. The lack of transparency makes it difficult to see the truth. However, obscurity can also bring out the truth. For example, confession booths in churches often utilize veiled rooms where people can confess to their sins.
I don’t disagree with your opinion on smoke within current movies. I enjoyed Fight Club as well, and Deadpool is often seen smoking as well. I personally think smoking is still pretty popular in pop-culture, just like how alcohol and weed are gaining popularity in mainstream media. I also think you bring up an interesting point in regards to the portrayal of phones in modern film. It’s interesting how smoking used to be a medium for communication between individuals, but has since been replaced by phones, which can hinder communication between people. Sometimes when I hang out with people, we might be using our phones instead of talking. The same could be said with smoking in the past, but I feel like phones have replaced some of the significance of talking with other people since you can just communicate digitally anytime, anywhere.
Hey Chris,
First off, you are an excellent writer; you got some good words. I also agree with the fact that, although smoke is a large symbol in the movie, it is outshined by the symbolism in the movement and relationships between the characters. Also, I don’t really see the smoke as playing a large part in the movie, because-while all the characters are smoking-the smoke rarely plays a part in the conversation outside of common courtesies. To add to what Javier said, I think the writers chose the name smoke mostly because it was set in a tobacco shop. Furthermore, smoke is a name that calls out action in my mind, relating to the old westerns with titles like “Gunsmoke”. The writer say a catchy title and went with it.Thanks,
Eric
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