Trees Lounge 1996

Tommy Basilio, a man struggling with the demons of addiction, finds himself at rock bottom after losing his girlfriend of eight years and his job as a mechanic. His downward spiral continues with the sudden loss of his uncle, whose passing sets off a chain reaction of self-destructive behavior. At Uncle Al’s wake, Tommy indulges in cocaine alongside his brother and cousins, leading to a series of poor choices that ultimately land him at the Trees Lounge, a local watering hole where he’s become a fixture.

It’s here that Tommy reconnects with Mike, a fellow regular who just so happens to own the moving company across the street. The two men commiserate over their shared struggles, including Tommy’s history of thievery and his current predicament - being jobless and heartbroken. As they pour beers at a late-night convenience store, Mike fills Tommy in on the latest gossip: his ex-girlfriend Theresa is now dating Rob, the owner of the garage where Tommy lost his job, with the paternity of her unborn child left uncertain.

As the night wears on, Tommy finds himself taking on Uncle Al’s ice cream truck route, a move that initially yields disappointing results. That is, until Debbie, Theresa’s flirtatious 17-year-old niece, joins him on his rounds and shares a dream she had about him. Her presence sparks a glimmer of hope in Tommy’s dark world.

Meanwhile, Mike’s personal life is crumbling around him. His wife and daughter have left him due to his drinking problems, and he receives an ultimatum: shape up or ship out when they plan to move upstate. As tensions simmer at home, Debbie and her friend Kelly attempt to gain entry into the Trees Lounge by claiming Tommy will vouch for their age. Their ruse is eventually exposed, leading Mike, Tommy, and the girls on a wild goose chase through the neighborhood, culminating in an explosive confrontation that leaves everyone reeling.

As the night wears on, Debbie finds herself caught between her desire to escape her troubles and her reluctance to abandon her father, Jerry. Fearing Jerry’s wrath, she initially asks Tommy (actor’s name) for shelter, but he declines, citing concerns about Jerry’s reaction. Undeterred, Debbie decides to bid farewell to her hometown and sets off with her friend Puck for New York City, where they plan to lay low at a cousin’s place. Meanwhile, Jerry becomes fixated on reconstructing his daughter’s whereabouts, leading him to pay a visit to the Trees Lounge, where he hopes to gather information. The next day, Tommy is enjoying a casual conversation with Mike and his wife outside a baseball game when Jerry suddenly appears, his anger simmering just below the surface. In a fit of rage, Jerry pummels Tommy with a baseball bat, smashing the ice cream truck’s lights and windows in the process. As children eagerly collect Tommy’s scattered earnings and sweet treats, Jerry leaves him reeling.

The aftermath of this tumultuous event finds Tommy seeking solace at the hospital, where he attempts to make amends with Debbie after she gives birth to her child. His visit is marked by a sense of desperation and longing for redemption. When Tommy returns to the Trees Lounge, he’s met with the news that Bill, an elderly regular, has taken a turn for the worse and been rushed to the hospital in critical condition. As the bar’s patrons continue to drink and socialize, they forget all about poor Bill, leaving him alone in his time of need. Feeling a deep sense of empathy, Tommy takes a seat in Bill’s favorite chair, cracks open a cold beer, and contemplates the state of his own life – one that seems to have lost its way, like so many forgotten ice cream cones on the parking lot pavement.