Overview
A man's life spirals as he seeks solace in a bar filled with misfits and memories.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- bleak
- witty
- melancholic
- quiet evening
- indie film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an unusually accurate, compassionate, and sharply observed portrait of alcoholism, supported by Steve Buscemi's writing, direction, and performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tommy loses his job and relationship, then remains trapped in the bar's cycle of drinking and drifting.
The Trees Lounge gathers estranged spouses, aging drinkers, and neighborhood regulars around Tommy's daily life.
The film treats barflies and Tommy's humiliating setbacks with colorful comedy without romanticizing alcoholism.
Tommy remains in love with Debbie after she leaves him for his boss and becomes pregnant.
Films like Trees Lounge, and why
Barfly
shared indie character study, alcohol-soaked melancholy, and darkly comic portrait of damaged working-class lives
The Last Picture Show
shared intimate small-town setting, eccentric ensemble, understated humor, and themes of loneliness and stalled adulthood
The Straight Story
shared deadpan comedy, working-class dysfunction, and emotionally bruised characters drifting through ordinary routines
Movie Details
- Director
- Steve Buscemi
- Release Date
- 1996-05-11
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (219)
Cast
- Steve Buscemi
- Chloë Sevigny
- Carol Kane
- Mark Boone Junior
- Bronson Dudley
- Anthony LaPaglia
- Michael Buscemi
- Elizabeth Bracco
- Rockets Redglare
- Samuel L. Jackson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Trees Lounge about?
- A jobless alcoholic drifts through a neighborhood bar’s gallery of damaged regulars while searching for a reason to move beyond his failed life.
- What is Trees Lounge like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Trees Lounge as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Trees Lounge violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Trees Lounge.
- What did critics think of Trees Lounge?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an unusually accurate, compassionate, and sharply observed portrait of alcoholism, supported by Steve Buscemi's writing, direction, and performance.
- Which films are like Trees Lounge?
- Films with a similar feel include Barfly, The Last Picture Show, and The Straight Story.
- How long is Trees Lounge?
- Trees Lounge runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Trees Lounge?
- In United States, Trees Lounge streams on Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
