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Trees Lounge 1996

After losing his job and girlfriend to his former boss, Tommy finds himself at a low point on Long Island. Seeking refuge, he spends his days at Trees Lounge, a rundown bar where he connects with other lost souls and finds a strange sense of community amidst the disappointment. The film is a poignant and darkly comedic look at desperation and unexpected connections.

After losing his job and girlfriend to his former boss, Tommy finds himself at a low point on Long Island. Seeking refuge, he spends his days at Trees Lounge, a rundown bar where he connects with other lost souls and finds a strange sense of community amidst the disappointment. The film is a poignant and darkly comedic look at desperation and unexpected connections.

Does Trees Lounge have end credit scenes?

No!

Trees Lounge does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Trees Lounge

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Ratings and Reviews for Trees Lounge

See how Trees Lounge is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Trees Lounge stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

76

Metascore

6.8

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

%

TOMATOMETER

review

0%

User Score

IMDb

7.1 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

69

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate Trees Lounge Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Trees Lounge with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Discovering Trees Lounge: Test your knowledge about the film Trees Lounge and its characters as they navigate through addiction, relationships, and personal struggles.

What is Tommy Basilio's primary struggle in Trees Lounge?

Awards & Nominations for Trees Lounge

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12th Independent Spirit Awards 1997

Steve Buscemi
Nomination

Best First Screenplay

Steve Buscemi
Nomination

Best First Feature

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Trees Lounge

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Read the complete plot summary of Trees Lounge, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


Tommy Basilio finds himself stuck in a downward spiral, grappling with alcoholism and the consequences it brings. After losing both his girlfriend of eight years and his job as a mechanic, he becomes a regular at the local bar, the Trees Lounge. Following the death of his Uncle Al, who operated an ice cream truck, Tommy attends the wake where he indulges in cocaine with his brother and cousins.

The night takes a wild turn when Tommy brings his relatives to the Trees Lounge, leading to a brawl between his cousin and Mike, another patron. While at a convenience store later, Tommy and Mike engage in a deep conversation about Tommy’s past decisions, notably how he stole money from Rob, the garage owner who is now dating Tommy’s pregnant ex-girlfriend, Theresa, casting doubt on the child’s paternity.

Mike, who owns a moving company across the street from the Trees Lounge, initially declines to offer Tommy a job due to an apparent lack of need for a mechanic. Instead, Tommy decides to take over Uncle Al’s ice cream route, but initially struggles to sell ice cream to kids. Things take an unexpected turn when Debbie, the flirtatious seventeen-year-old niece of Theresa, unexpectedly joins Tommy on his route, revealing that she dreamt about him.

Amid Tommy’s chaotic life, Mike’s personal struggles surface as well; his wife and daughter have left him due to his heavy drinking, further complicating things. Both Debbie and her friend Kelly visit the Trees Lounge, attempting to prove their legal drinking age, and Debbie claims that her “boyfriend” Tommy will vouch for her. Eventually, the group heads to Mike’s house for a night of drinking, but their fun is cut short by Mike’s wife’s phone call asking them to leave.

As the story unfolds, Tommy and Debbie spend the night together at his place. However, upon realizing that her father, Jerry, might not accept her actions, Debbie calls Tommy, asking to stay with him. Fearful of Jerry’s reaction, Tommy sadly turns her away, leading Debbie to run off with her friend Puck to New York City.

Jerry, concerned for his daughter, embarks on a quest to find her and confronts Tommy at the Trees Lounge. The next day, a tense encounter unfolds as Jerry finds Tommy outside the baseball game; enraged, he brutally attacks Tommy with a baseball bat, destroying the ice cream truck and scattering Tommy’s money and ice cream, much to the delight of local children.

After Theresa gives birth, Tommy tries to make amends at the hospital. However, when he returns to the Trees Lounge, he hears about Bill, an elderly regular who collapsed and is in critical condition at the hospital. The barmaids and other patrons temporarily forget about him as they continue to drink. In a moment of reflection, Tommy sits in Bill’s favorite chair, clutching a beer, and senses the reality of his surroundings and the life choices that have led him down this lonely path.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Trees Lounge

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TREES LOUNGE - Trailer

Cars Featured in Trees Lounge

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Explore all cars featured in Trees Lounge, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


AMC

1974

Hornet

Buick

1986

LeSabre

Cadillac

1987

Brougham

Cadillac

1986

Coupe DeVille

Chevrolet

1980

Caprice Estate

Chevrolet

1969

Corvette Stingray C3

Chevrolet

1979

Malibu

Chevrolet

1975

Nova

Chevrolet

Step-Van

Dodge

1975

Dart Swinger

Trees Lounge Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


drinking beerbeerice creambardrinkingice cream truckex girlfrienddrunkdrinkalcoholic drinkplant in titledirectorial debuttwo word titlewritten and directed by cast memberhit with a baseball batpabst blue ribbon beerreference to jerry lewisvideowaketeenage girlreal life siblings as fictional siblingspregnancycocainealcoholismalcoholicboredomalcoholsequelindependent film

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