A Dynamic World

In Smoke, the establishing shot is that of a train moving in New York City plastered against the skyline. The epic yet still background turns the viewer’s focus to the movement in the scene, introducing one of the main themes and characters in a sense, New York City. Regardless of moments where the characters feel such tremendous loss that the world stands still, the city keeps on moving. However, the inverse can become true sometimes. In Smoke, the characters construct their own dynamic, interconnected world that keeps on moving while the city remains constant. Our characters, drawn together by the city, form bonds through losses they all share. For Paul, it is that of his love and fatherhood, for Thomas his parents, and for Auggie, a life without loneliness he never got to experience. The characters bond together, giving each other a new sense of identity that fulfills the hole left by loss. They form a family in a sense, with Paul and Thomas getting to experience some form of fatherhood through Thomas, and Thomas finding himself in the care of two adults that act as his parents. Through this fulfillment of identity, the characters transform, mature and develop amongst each other. Even smaller characters such as Ruby serve as bursts of movement and color diversifying the reach of the world that is slowly being built over the course of the movie. Different perspectives add depth to the plot, transforming characters that may not have been traditionally two dimensional into characters who the audience can feel sympathy for. Cyrus may have been seen as the father who left, however through Smoke we can experience his struggle as a working man trying to repair both cars and his life, as well as someone who is still haunted by his past. As Thomas confronts him, Cyrus’ character is on display at his most raw, as confliction, hurt, loss, desperation, guilt, regret, and anger all fuel the reaction he has to Thomas’ revelation. The audience is left to reflect on the moment as the characters sit quietly at a picnic bench, the characters’ dynamic connections invisibly flaring and expanding with great magnitude amongst a still shot. Smoke does the characters and city that brings them together justice, telling life how it really is and giving all characters multiple dimensions. At its core, the film is an ode to the great, restless New York City.