Chinese Coffee (2000)

Director:

Al Pacino

Writers (WGA):

Ira Lewis (play)
Ira Lewis (screenplay)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Harry and Jake, two unsuccessful writers, spend a cathartic evening arguing about money, aesthetics, their friendship, and Harry's new manuscript.

Plot Keywords:

Writer | Masks | Chinatown | Poet | Bartender

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Harry Levine
Jerry Orbach	...	Jake Manheim
Susan Floyd	...	Joanna
Ellen McElduff	...	Mavis
Michel Moinot	...	Maurice
Judette Jones	...	Supermarket cashier
Paul J.Q. Lee	...	Counterman
Joel Eidelsberg	...	Harry's brother
Maria Gentile	...	Sarah / Bellydancer
Christopher Evan Welch	...	Hamlet actor
Neal Jones	...	Eteocles / Actor in play
Laura Esterman	...	Actor in play / Messenger
Hazelle Goodman	...	Cafe Dante waitress (as Hazel Goodman)
James Bulleit	...	Sgt. Boyle - Undercover cop #1
Mark Scarola	...	Undercover cop #2

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R

Company:

Chal Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the end of the film Harry is poured a full glass of seltzer with a lime in it by Barney. Although he does not touch it, the glass is empty when he gets up to leave.

Quotes:

Harry Levine: Hollywood? You can't be old there unless you've been young there.

Toronto 2000 Wrap-Up

9/14 9:00 am CHINESE COFFEE (*****)

Unlike most films of plays that fail to break free of stagy theatrics, this film draws its strength from a wonderful script and an intimate tone of Off-Off-Broadway theatre. The combination of Al Pacino and Jerry Orbach together for a solid hour and a half could not be more special. Susan Floyd is also wonderful as Pacino's bohemian love. Painter, long time friend of Pacino and "Before Night Falls" director, Julian Schnabel, introduced the film on behalf of Pacino, who had to return to L.A. to shoot a movie.