steve buscemi have long be one of the premiere character actor in the business while his resume read like a veritable who who of interesting and complex character who run the gamut from psycho hit man to regular guy and all of whom he have bring vividly to life in film after film . and whether or not a particular project be a hit or a flop and buscemi be always good and and can always be count upon to add that extra something to any give film and a he have in ` tree lounge and an affecting drama he not only star in and but with which he make his debut a a writer or director and an impressive debut it be . tommy basilio ( buscemi ) be an out of work mechanic who live alone above a bar call tree lounge in long island and n. y. he more than a bit down on his luck while not only do he lose his job and but his pregnant girlfriend of eight year and theresa ( elizabeth bracco ) recently dump him for his former bos and rob ( anthony lapaglia ) . he want to pick himself up and get his life back together and but he doesn not seem to know where to start and and the garage to which he apply for work aren not exactly knock his door down to hire him . so he gravitate to the tree and where he can at least interact with others who seem to be in situation not entirely unlike his own and though at different stage and for different reason . but they all have one thing in common theyre people just try to get through the day while theyre try to get through life . if they can only figure it all out . with this film and buscemi prof that he be more than just a talented actor and but rather a true artist in every sense of the word and with his chosen medium be film . he have an eye for detail which complement his insight into human nature and enable him to effectively translate his material to the screen . his character be finely draw and complex and and with each and every one he manage to successfully avoid the stereotype to which a setting like this could easily lend itself ( and no doubt would and in less hand ) . even with the minor character and he succinctly give you enough of who they be that it allow you to see beneath the surface and know what make them tick . and he do it imaginatively by fill a room with photograph or item that reflect who a certain person be and for example and or simply by train his camera on someone face and allow that extra beat that afford the viewer a tell glimpse of what hide behind a character eye . buscemi have an innate sense of know how to convey what he try to say and and he do it in a million small and different way that be subtle and incisive . simply put and he know what work include how to get what he want out of his actor and he present it all with a pace and timing that be right on the mark . in tommy and buscemi create a character to whom many will be able to relate and identify on any number of different level . to say that tommy be a ` loser would be too much of a simplification and because the character be too complex for that tag alone to be accurate . tommy be blue collar and down on his luck and and like so many people in real life and just can not seem to put it all together and can not figure out how ` life be suppose to work . and that what buscemi conveys so subtly and so well and and it the key to the success of this character it what make tommy believable and real . obviously and buscemi knew exactly what he want when he write this character and and he put it across with a brilliant and memorable performance which also demonstrate his ability to star in and carry a movie on his own . certainly and he have a wonderful support cast that give him plenty of help and but few character actor have ever be able to step into a lead role with such facility and achieve the level of success buscemi have here . and it work that deserve to be acknowledge . there be a number of notable support performance in this film and as well and begin with mark boone junior and who a mike capture the essence of a guy who be successful and but a loser nonetheless while lapaglia and who give a solid performance a rob while bracco and with a performance that be introspectively reveal while debi mazar and who with very little screen time leave an indelible impression ( and her eye be absolutely mesmerize ) while kevin corrigan ( another of the fine character actor around ) and a matthew while and especially chloe sevigny and a debbie and theresa mature beyond her year and seventeen year old niece . round out the ensemble cast be carol kane ( connie ) and bronson dudley ( bill ) and michael buscemi ( steve real life brother and play tommy brother and raymond ) and suzanne shepherd ( jackie ) and rocket redglare ( stan ) and seymour cassel ( uncle al ) and annette arnold ( sandy ) and michael imperioli ( george ) and mimi rogers ( patty ) and daniel baldwin ( jerry ) and charles newmark ( puck ) . an involve story present with a rich assortment of memorable and convincing character and ` tree lounge be a drama about life about the thing go on in your own neighborhood and or downtown or two street over and no matter where you be in the world . wherever people be and there be situation like the one depict in this film and problem that have to be solve and life that have to be live . and that what make this film so good while it give the audience a chance to connect with and or at least examine and thing that anyone anywhere will be able to recognize . it may have take a collaborative effort to make this one what it be and but in the end and it buscemi film from start to finish and and a satisfying little gem of a movie it be . and that the magic of the movie . i rate this one positive .