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Trees Lounge

Trees Lounge

A story about one man's search... for who knows what

199695 minRMidcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Director
Steve Buscemi
Starring
Steve Buscemi, Chloë Sevigny, Carol Kane, Mark Boone Junior

Tommy has lost his job, his love and his life. He lives in a small apartment above the Trees Lounge, a bar which he frequents along with a few other regulars without lives. He gets a job driving an ice cream truck and ends up getting involved with the seventeen-year-old niece of his ex-girlfriend. This gets him into serious trouble with her father.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Trees Lounge?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Trees Lounge streaming on Lionsgate+ via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Trees Lounge?

Trees Lounge earns 7 badges, led by Top 10% in Comedy and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Trees Lounge worth watching?

Trees Lounge's Midcredits score is the 86th percentile of all films, from 38K ratings across 6 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

86th percentile

Better received than 86% of films

91st percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)85th

71 /100

83rd percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 1990s

Critics 76 · Audience 71

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 1990s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 81% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 4 noms overall

89th percentile

38K ratings across platforms

88th percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 38% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$1.3M
Opening weekend$40K
Domestic gross$750K
Worldwide gross$750K

Returned 0.6× its budget — 40th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it's a character-driven, ensemble-based slice-of-life drama about flawed people in a bar, with quiet pacing and no conventional plot.

Fans praised

  • Buscemi's directorial debut is a compassionate, low-key character study
  • Exceptional ensemble cast delivers authentic barfly performances
  • Real, raw moments with genuine humor and emotional depth

Detractors panned

  • Aimless plot with no resolution and dull stretches
  • Direction fails with some actors, producing unnatural dialogue
  • Slice-of-life too mundane and unengaging to justify its runtime

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Buscemi shines as the lead; Mark Boone Junior, Chloë Sevigny, Anthony LaPaglia all praised

CharactersDivisive75

Deep, relatable lost souls; detractors call them unevenly developed

AtmosphereDivisive75

Authentic blue-collar dive bar world, immersive and palpable

DialogueDivisive65

Naturalistic flow praised, but some lines come off unnatural

Emotional impactDivisive65

Raw, affecting moments, but some feel detached

HumorDivisive55

Quirky humor lands for fans; detractors find little to laugh at

Plot and storyDivisive45

Aimless slice-of-life, no conventional arc; some find it boring

PacingDivisive40

Slow and meandering, no momentum

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 17 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Trees Lounge like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Funny and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to laugh and feel something too.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you wistful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Funny and bittersweet.

Moods
MelancholicAbsurd
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film observes its characters with a compassionate but unsentimental eye, never mocking or romanticizing their struggles.
The rideThe mood is consistently low-key and wistful, with occasional comic absurdity breaking the melancholy, all sustained from start to finish.
StructureThe story follows Tommy's downward spiral over a short period in a conventional, chronological sequence.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Wistful.

The answer rests on this: Wistful · 8% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a gentle, melancholy ache and the lingering unease of seeing a life stalled on a dead-end path.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeTommy is a man slowly destroyed not by a single flaw but by a combination of his own choices, bad luck, and an environment that offers no escape.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfAddictionSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% (this title) · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Addiction · 1% of filmsPurpose · 9% of filmsIsolation · 5% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Tommy's alcohol dependence and the way his life revolves around the bar, while he drifts without meaning and feels cut off from any real connection.
StanceThe film watches Tommy's drift without moralizing, presenting addiction and aimlessness as a fact of his life rather than celebrating or condemning it.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
RockFolkSupportive music · original score · Evan Lurie
Settinga neighborhood bar and its surrounding working-class town
MusicLikely a low-key, character-driven score that blends with the bar atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Trees Lounge okay for kids?

R

Trees Lounge is rated R: “Rated R for plentiful strong language and some drug content” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at minimal (10/100), language at severe (83/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (89/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • CanadaR
  • Germany12
  • Brazil12
  • Argentina13
  • Czechia15+
  • Netherlands16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Profanity
Severe
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (15 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Trees Lounge have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Trees Lounge?

Cast

Steve Buscemi
as Tommy
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Chloë Sevigny
as Debbie
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Carol Kane
as Connie
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Mark Boone Junior
as Mike
Bronson Dudley
as Bill
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Anthony LaPaglia
as Rob
Michael Buscemi
as Raymond
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Elizabeth Bracco
as Theresa
Rockets Redglare
as Stan
Samuel L. Jackson
as Wendell
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Trees Lounge?

The closest match to Trees Lounge is Requiem for a Dream (2000); both are films about addiction.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Trees Lounge?

742 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: hangout movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.