Have you ever noticed coffee in the movies?
Coffee is part of our daily life. It wakes us up in the morning. We drink it during work or even during business meetings, in coffee shops where we have our laptops and pens, and in the comfort of our homes. We also drink coffee when we are simply relaxing in the afternoon. If you’re working or studying at night, you may need an energy boost from coffee in the evening. Coffee is part of our daily life, so it wouldn’t be surprising that we frequently see it in movies, too!
Now, I’m not talking about movies about coffee. I’m talking about movie scenes about coffee even if the movie is unrelated to coffee – and they are plenty of them actually! There are so many movies that feature iconic scenes in either a coffee house, around a cup of coffee at a kitchen table, or even just drinking coffee in the car.
If you think back to any recent movie you’ve watched, chances are, coffee made an appearance at one point or another. We are sharing 10 of the most iconic coffee scenes from movies that we all know and love.
What made these subtle scenes interesting is how they portrayed coffee in those short clips. So, without further ado, here are the 10 best coffee scenes in the movies!
10 Best Coffee Scenes
1) The Usual Suspects (1995)
If you are a detective, what could be more dramatic and iconic than dropping your cup of coffee after realizing that the person you were questioning was the very person you’re looking for – Keyser Soze himself!
As Keyser Soze managed to escape the detective, Agent Kujan was in shock, so shocked that he dropped his creamer-filled cup of coffee to the floor, eventually dropping it to the ground.
Of course, the drop itself is very dramatic – slow motion, slow music, you can see and feel the shatter of the cup and the coffee spilling on the floor. That’s one of the classic coffee scenes in our movies!
2) The Lego Movie (2014)
There are two things to look at here. First, if you’re a fan of Lego, then the movie will most likely resonate with you. After all, seeing your favorite childhood toy build things and move the way you probably imagined for your own Lego toys is just purely fantastic. But the coffee scene, although it’s very short, is profound as well.
The coffee shop scene is a reflection of one of the most well-known facts about coffee shops – they’re expensive! Well, in the case of Lego’s coffee shop, the coffee is way overpriced! Well, nevertheless, cheerful Emmett cheerfully paid for the coffee – at least he’s happy with his coffee!
3) Kicking and Screaming (2005)
To put it into context, Phil, one of the main characters, is obsessed with this health to the point that he does not like coffee because according to him, coffee is a “vasoconstrictor.”
When Phil wanted to beat his father’s team in their league soccer, he asked for advice from Mike Ditka, his father’s vengeful neighbor. The first thing Mike did was to make Phil like and drink coffee.
The health-obsessed, coffee-avoiding Phil finally succumbed to the power of coffee – he was so hooked that he became a regular at a local coffee shop. But not just that; he is impatient whenever he needs to wait in line, berating customers (in front of him) for not having the customer card he had for the shop, showing that he’s a true regular in the shop.
4) L.A. Story (1991)
Back in the early 1990s, the idea of customized coffee isn’t popular yet. But you will see the beginning of this system on “L.A. Story”. People simply began to order their coffee in detail: “I’ll have a decaf espresso”, “I’ll have a decaf coffee”, etc. Everyone seems to want decafs, but something’s odd in one customer’s order: “I’ll have a half double decaffeinated half-caf with a twist of lemon.”
This is simply puzzling!
5) The Green Hornet (2011)
The coffee scene in The Green Hornet is interesting for two things.
First, is the fact that Kato, Britt Reid’s father, had a hand-built coffee maker which he used to use to dispense espresso. But more interestingly in this scene is how Britt can quickly and confidently make a fancy, wavy milk-pour. Imagine a barista having that level of talent!
Overall, it is simply interesting to see simple but profound coffee scenes in superhero movies.
6) Thor (2011)
If you are a fan of Thor, The Avengers of the Marvel Universe, you may like this scene. Unlike others on the list, the scene does not revolve on coffee or its history, culture, etc. but on how Thor likes coffee.
He likes coffee so much that he smashed the mug to the ground and demands to have more coffee! If Thor likes coffee, and you’re a coffee- and Thor-lover, then you’re on the right track.
7) You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Joe Fox, played by Tom Hanks, has an interesting insight into Starbucks. In this memorable scene, he said to Kathleen Kelly, his love interest, “People who don’t know what the hell they’re doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but a defining sense of self: tall, decaf cappuccino.”
Honestly, there are many ways to interpret this scene. The way I see it, it’s all about how we connect our identity to our coffee. It is one thing to call ourselves “coffee lover.” It’s another thing when we express our love for a particular coffee such as espresso or cold brew. But it’s a whole new level if we debate over which coffee is better, when in fact, the taste is purely subjective!
8) Glengarry Glenn Ross (1992)
If you’re into sales, you may appreciate scenes like this. The way Alec Baldwin overpowers the salesman (essentially using persuasion so they listen to him) is just extraordinary!
But where’s the coffee part? Well, the poor Jack Lemmon, who just want to have a cup of coffee, was berated by Alec Baldwin for not paying attention to what he has to say. But even in that scene, Alec Baldwin systematically uses his persuasion knowledge to eventually stop Jack Lemmon from getting his coffee and making him sit down and pay attention to him.
While they’re not actually drinking coffee, this scene is iconic because of the acting around the coffee.
9) Men In Black (1997)
In the scene, Agent J asked Agent K if he wants to have some coffee. Agent K declined the offer, so Agent J proceeded to get a cup for himself. However, instead of being made by a human being, the coffee turned out to be made and dispensed by worm-like aliens.
“That’s not decaf, isn’t it?” asked Agent J with contempt. One of the worm-like aliens responded, “Viennese cinnamon.”
Well, we all know the theme of the movie Men In Black. But perhaps, the moral of the story is: know where your coffee is coming from! Aside from that, the scene is quite hilarious.
10) Elf (2003)
Last but not least comes the iconic coffee shop scene from the movie “Elf.“
The scene takes place when Buddy the Elf is walking down the street in NYC and sees a sign for the worlds best cup of coffee. Not realizing it was hyperbole, he runs into the coffee shop and says “Congratulations, you did it!”
The cafe goers, totally bemused, just looked on as Buddy praised the cafe owners, who clearly did not make the world’s best cup of coffee.
You can watch it below.
Try It Out – A Classic Latte
Inspired to make a cup of coffee after reading this article? Here is one of our favorite go-to recipes that you can find in our post “The Most Popular Coffee Shop Recipes.“
What you’ll need:
- 2 shots of espresso
- 1 cup of milk of choice
- Sweetener of choice (optional)
- Flavored syrup of choice (optional)
Method:
- Brew espresso into a cup of choice
- Meanwhile, froth milk until steamy and hot
- If adding flavor or sugar, add it directly into your brewed espresso. Stir well.
- Then, pour milk slowly into your cup
- Enjoy!
This drink may have an Italian name, but it actually became popular during Seattle‘s coffee culture boom. Its quick, easy, and can be made extremely yummy by adding various flavors to it too.
Have you seen any of these movies? If they inspired you to brew a cup of coffee, be sure to check out our different beans here to get started.
