Smoke, which stars Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Forest Whitaker, and Stockard Channing, tells the story of a novelist, a cigar store manager, and a black teenager who unexpectedly cross paths and end up changing each other's lives in indelible ways. By turns funny, moving, and unpredictable, Smoke explores how these three unconnected souls are able to discover their common humanity. Set against the background of contemporary Brooklyn, it directly inspired Auster and Wang's second project, Blue in the Face, a largely improvised comedy shot in a total of six days. A film that resembles no other, it stars Harvey Keitel, with featured performances by Roseanne, Lily Tomlin, Lou Reed, and Michael J. Fox.