Flowbeer I loved this movie from the first time I ever saw it. I had it at the end of a video tape I'd recorded (off IFC) after 'Monument Ave.', a Boston-mob film that had a similar "bar tone" to it, but was nothing like 'Trees Lounge.' 'Trees' takes place on Long Island and the vast array of crazy characters are a lot to choose from! There's a lot of humor in this film - and a lot of secrets & desires. The lounge is a bar that has a lot of losers who frequent it - the main one being Tommy (Buscemi)! There are the standard barflys who sit there all day drinking, and who must be on a fat social security paycheck to pay for it all! Anyway, we follow Tommy through his break-up with a gal he treated like crap and who has left him for one of his more-stable friends who owns a garage, going to family funerals and getting beaten up by a certain 'guido' in the 'hood. The only thing Tommy has, and the rest of his drinking buddies for that matter, is drinking his blues away. One of the cool people Tommy meets at the Trees is 'Mike', played by Mark Boone Junior - who gives a great performance as a guy who's wife is also threatening to leave him if he doesn't straighten up his act. So Mike & Tommy drink together and at one point, bring home 2 teenage girls to smoke some pot and dance to some records, in a bout of drunken bad judgement. When the wife returns, she asks Tommy if there were any girls there and Tommy, as a pro, covers for his new friend perfectly. There'a also a small part with Debbie Mazar, who Tommy almost gets to take home - until she passes out and her friends tell him to leave her alone! And Carol Kane is wonderful as the feisty bartender who keeps Tommy in line when he needs it. Also look for Kevin Corrigan as a coke-head loser, similar to the one he portrayed in Buffalo '66. By the end of the movie, you really start to feel sorry for Tommy. You wonder how much of it is based on Buscemi's life in New York, before he made it in the business. They say he actually drove an ice cream truck for awhile in NY, so that part must be true. All in all, Buscemi gets totally DICKED OVER in this film. But it is still a great film. And real. If you're a drinker, you might just see a bit of yourself in this film. 8 out of 10 stars

sickdog1492 I gave this film a 9 out of 10, that was maybe abit generous. Anyway this film is one which i caught watching on British TV. I missed the first 20 mins of the film, so I'm looking for it it the shops to buy.This film was an excellent watch and Steve Buscemi should be given respect as this is as far as i know was his first film hes directed. Whats really great about this film, is there is no obvious plot it just flows. It is also quite funny but I think its much more of a drama. Samuel L Jackson and Mimi Rodgers also are in this film(probably supporting there friends first directed film). Chloe sevigny who plays debbie in this film offers some sexual tension in an ice cream van with Tommy (Steve Buscemi)that scene stays in the memory and the on screen chemistry between them is great.I'm quite rubbish at writing reviews, but this is good stuff and well worth a watch. :)

pavel_sax This semi-biographical tale centres around a down on his luck, yet charismatic bar fly, set on his way to self destruction. Buscemi'second self directed/penned feature is slower paced than some might expect. This in no way detracts from the overall brilliance and charm that trees lounge conveys. Tommy's character, while on the surface, demands both pity and sympathy. It's in his anti-heroic attributes ie. selfishness and callousness, that make the film so human and believable. American releases as passionate and warm as Trees Lounge do not come around as often anymore, with only The Station Agent coming close. So enjoy.

Theo Robertson TREES LOUNGE is a film about Tommy Basilio , an unemployed mechanic who spend most of his time drinking in a bar or snorting drugs . " What`s so compelling about this movie ? " you ask , well I think you`ve hit the nail on the head with that question because there`s nothing really compelling about TREES LOUNGE . It`s a really low concept ( ie character based story ) movie where not much happens . Written , directed and starring Steve Buscemi it feels like one of those indie projects actors come up with now and again to increase their cred with major Hollywood studios and I`m guessing Buscemi ploughed much of his own money into the project so maybe I shouldn`t be too critical !!!! MILD SPOILERS !!!!I should perhaps also give some praise to Buscemi for writing a screenplay with an obvious subtext of never getting what you want : Tommy want`s to snort yet more drugs but someone comes into the bathroom , Tommy wants to take a woman he`s picked up in a bar but she falls asleep while he`s in the bathroom , a young kid wants to buy an ice cream but the ice cream man suddenly has a heart attack , so the theme to this movie is very clear . Such a pity realism takes precedence over an exciting plot