Café de Flore
Café de Flore
NR | 02 November 2012 (USA)
Café de Flore Trailers

Jacqueline is a young mother living in 1960s Paris with her disabled son Laurent. Abandoned by her husband, Jacqueline sacrifices everything to care for her son and vows to give Laurent a “normal” life full of happiness. Antoine, is a successful DJ in present day Montreal who seems to have it all: a thriving career, two beautiful daughters, partner Rose, with whom he is passionately in love. However, nothing is perfect and Antoine’s ex-wife Carole remains devastated by their recent separation.

Reviews
Protraph

Lack of good storyline.

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Majorthebys

Charming and brutal

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ChicDragon

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

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Cassandra

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

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hethomps

This film is visually beautiful, the acting superb. However, I don't recommend it. The "mystical" connection between the two story lines absolutely does not work. The story line with Jacqueline is touching, and occupies far too little of the screen time. Vanessa Paradis is amazing, and her interactions with her son are touching and sad, as you recognize her life revolves completely around him as see struggles to raise him alone after his father leaves. On the other hand, I found the misogynistic tale of Antoine very off-putting. A narcissistic man leaves his beautiful, intelligent wife of 20 years for a vapid, tattooed, insecure younger woman with whom he appears to have no common interest other than sex. How original. Great role model he is for his teenage daughter, who hates him, by the way. Big surprise. Unfortunately, the daughter is the only female who stands up to him and calls him out for the cochon that he is. The other women in his life are just waiting with bated breath to see whether he chooses to allow them to continue making him the center of their worlds. I am really tired of this story line having seen it too many times, and I didn't enjoy this film as a result.

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murtaza murad

Nowadays there are few films which have ability to provoke thoughts and leave a lasting impression. Cafe de Flore was one movie i was easily going to skip but i forced myself to see the trailer once before cutting the title off my list. The trailer was enough to compel me watch the film and thus i did. Now, i have got to say this is the best movie so far of 2012.The movie is a revelation by all means, it's something we haven't seen before and to experience such a quality cinema these days is a rarity. To write too much about the plot would be unfair but it revolves around to parallel stories, one in Paris 1960's about a mother and her mongoloid son and the other in contemporary Montreal about a DJ who give up his first love for another girl.The acting in this ensemble drama is a complete standout. The ones which leave a mark are Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent and child star Marin Gerrier.I would have to praise the director Jean-Marc Vallee for making a film with such innovation in film making. His style and approach is completely different, the movie is in fragments put together. Different characters, periods, ages and subplots all jumbled and the element that binds the movie together is music. Movie uses the music in a best way possible, it transcends the movie high and creates an effect which would be impossible to create without such brilliant use of music.I could have given the film 10 but a little improvement towards the ending could have helped make it a masterpiece. I won't write about that. Also a little further development in few characters would have been better.I think the movie wouldn't have been of such intensity if it wasn't made in such bizarre manner, it confuses you, gives answers and makes you think. Still i believe the movie won't be praised by everyone, it requires people who like experiencing something unconventional and strange yet plausible. Perfect example of modern movie making and totally unique love story with near perfect impact.

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Saad Khan

Café de Flore- Catch It (A-) Café de Floreis a beautiful French movie about LOVE. Its rarely you see a movie about Love & Soul Mates these days so Cafe De Flore is completely refreshing in bringing the purity of love. Café de Flore is a love story about people separated by time and place but connected in profound and mysterious ways. Atmospheric, fantastical, tragic and hopeful, the film chronicles the parallel fates of Jacqueline, a young mother with a disabled son in 1960s Paris, and Antoine, a recently divorced, successful DJ in present day Montreal. What binds the two stories together is love - euphoric, obsessive, tragic, youthful, timeless love.Even though the movie runs in Non-Chronological manner still you would appreciate how it amalgamates two stories beautifully. I'm not huge fan of non-chronological movie because it makes you depressive like Burning Man, We Need to Talk about Kevin & Memento off course.Vanessa Paradis gave a brilliant performance, she lived in that moment and her chemistry with the syndrome child is superb. You completely forget that it's not even real. Kevin Parent is mesmerizing and exudes passion. Can't believe that's his first outing as an actor. Evelyne Broche is beautiful & her chemistry with Kevin Parent is amazing. Helene Florent is great along with syndrome kids Marin Gerrier & Alice Dubois.On the whole, Cafe De Flore is a beautiful heartening movie, which will bring you in tears.

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losriley-1

Such a bad film.Pretentious,disjointed, unbelievable, saccharine, self indulgent.Tiresome.This is the second worst film I have ever seen. The worst half of the audience walked out. I had such high hopes for this film and they were smashed after the first 5 minutes. Every character was sickly sweet and their every action perfect and staged. The best actors were the young children with Downs Syndrome. Woeful. Please avoid this film. It is easy to wish to avoid slating this film due to their being characters with disability. I myself am disabled and also have worked as a psychiatric nurse with patients who had Downs syndrome. This is why I had hoped that the film would be uplifting and honest. There is a great Korean film that deals with the lives of the disabled in called Oasis.

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