Smoking Causes Coughing

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1:45

Smoking Causes Coughing

2023

1h 17m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

85 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

A wildly inventive new comedy from Quentin Dupieux (MANDIBLES, RUBBER), SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING follows the misadventures of a team of five superheroes known as the Tobacco Force -- Benzene (Gilles Lellouche), Nicotine (Anaïs Demoustier), Methanol (Vincent Lacoste), Mercury (Jean-Pascal Zadi), and Ammonia (Oulaya Amamra). After a devastating battle against a diabolical giant turtle, the Tobacco Force is sent on a mandatory week-long retreat to strengthen their decaying group cohesion. Their sojourn goes wonderfully well until Lézardin, Emperor of Evil, decides to annihilate planet Earth.

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Critics Consensus

Quentin Dupieux still isn't for everyone -- but if you're on his loopy wavelength, Smoking Causes Coughing causes laughter.

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Adam Nayman

Sight & Sound

May 13, 2026

Kudos to Dupieux for making movies mostly to amuse himself and the loyal, curious viewership that’s on his wavelength. For everybody else out there, no harm done.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Jul 9, 2023

4/5

Unpredictable, digressive, looping and parenthetical in structure, Smoking Causes Coughing is one of the most formally daring and unexpected films of the year.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

Jul 7, 2023

4/5

Tongues are firmly in cheeks throughout, and Adèle Exarchopoulos steals the movie as a cheery smartphone addict who keeps vlogging into the digital abyss, even as she’s being pursued by a murderer.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Nov 21, 2024

5/10

I could say that it is like a failed experiment, which, like tobacco, only leaves a bad taste in the mouth. [Full review in Spanish]

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Alejandro Lingenti

La Nación (Argentina)

Aug 7, 2024

4/5

What is virtuous in this context devoid of any logic is the fluidity between the different stories that make up the film... [Full review in Spanish]

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Diego Batlle

Otroscines.com

Mar 18, 2024

3/5

Although it is not among the most successful works of its director, it has his seal, his imprint, his irruptions of physical humor and visual delirium. [Full review in Spanish]

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Marshall

Apr 1, 2023

literally laughed my ass off the entire movie.

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Kalissa H

@kali_416 Jul 18, 2026

Completely unique. I thought it would be cheesy, but for the majority of it, it was not. I liked the fight scenes, it reminded me of older super hero movies with the practical monsters. I enjoyed the stories included within the movie. The helmet one was interesting. Very glad I watched.

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Alain E

@AlainE Jul 15, 2026

This is totally crazy. If you don’t appreciate absurd elements of humor, it’s better to avoid. On earth there is a force of five superheroes dressed like the Superman of yore. They are controlled by a drooling amorous lizard/rat hybrid who communicates via a video link. The superheroes tell each other some substories that involve extreme gore. There is no nudity, but still this is definitely an NC-17 feature.

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Ralph E

@RT12657637 Apr 26, 2026

While the concepts are interesting, the plot rambles and goes absolutely nowhere. What starts out as a new twist on the super hero genre turns rapidly into a meandering mess. I am not surprised that the audience ratings are so low. While the initial thinking behind this project deserves marks for breaking the mold, the audience has a right to expect the plot to move in some sort of direction. About half way through the project, it is clear that the producers had no idea about how to end the project so they just kept going with the non sequiturs until time ran out. I would not have minded an unconventional ending but I expect there to be some type of ending instead of a bunch of loose ends flying in the wind. When people are putting together projects like this, you have to read the script and see that it makes sense in some fashion. If it does not make any sense at all and has no cohesion, you don't just go ahead and say that it is quirky and that justifies the project. Cancer causing

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Ben M

@RT71881570 Aug 1, 2025

Arguably Quentin Dupieux's finest work. Hilarious!

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Alex R

@RT87998984 Jul 7, 2025

Has qualities, but not for everyone.

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Quentin Dupieux

Director

Gilles Lellouche

Benzene

Vincent Lacoste

Methanol

Anaïs Demoustier

Nicotine

Jean-Pascal Zadi

Mercure

Oulaya Amamra

Ammonia

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Smoking Causes Coughing: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A wildly inventive new comedy from Quentin Dupieux (MANDIBLES, RUBBER), SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING follows the misadventures of a team of five superheroes known as the Tobacco Force -- Benzene (Gilles Lellouche), Nicotine (Anaïs Demoustier), Methanol (Vincent Lacoste), Mercury (Jean-Pascal Zadi), and Ammonia (Oulaya Amamra). After a devastating battle against a diabolical giant turtle, the Tobacco Force is sent on a mandatory week-long retreat to strengthen their decaying group cohesion. Their sojourn goes wonderfully well until Lézardin, Emperor of Evil, decides to annihilate planet Earth.

Director: Quentin Dupieux
Producer: Hugo Sélignac
Screenwriter: Quentin Dupieux
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Gaumont, Chi-Fou-Mi Productions
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 31, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 31, 2023
Box Office (Gross USA): $64.2K
Runtime: 1h 17m

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