Purely Joyful Movie!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

I lived in France then got back to Portugal. I know many emigrants and many French people. Many different kind of each. And I can say that I saw almost all of them in the movie, and that's amazing. For most of the people, the movie is very good, for Portuguese people, it is fantastic, but for Portuguese emigrants (or former) in France, it is really over the top! Congratulation Ruben Alves, tu contastes une histoire comme deve ser, caraille! ;) There is small details that could have been handled better. Lourdes and Maria have a different level of french (strange for sisters, considering that Lourdes speaks perfect french). It would have been better if José had a bit more of Portuguese accent. Another detail, since they are from the north (Douro, use of B instead of V), Fado doesn't have much (not to say nothing) to do with it. They should be listening Rancho, and eventually Pimba music that is far more popular.

The most successful movie of the year so far in Portugal and France, La Cage Dorée is a dramatic like comedy about a Portuguese family emigrated in France for 30 years. Ruben Alves, the director, is himself the son of a Portuguese couple emigrated in France, being La Cage Dorée an homage to his own parents. And what an homage! La Cage Dorée is the perfect depiction of that generation of Portuguese emigrants, the hard working, humble and low self esteemed employees that refuse to forget the simple things they love in Portugal, such as good food, beer, football and even gossip. Having a part of my family emigrated in France as well, I was astonished by how accurate and real this representation was, mixing french and Portuguese in the dialog. Plus the gap between french-Portuguese youth and this older generation is masterfully recreated, being hard to find anyone in the audience that would not connect with this movie. The characters are rich and detailed, with very good interpretations, particularly by Rita Blanco with a character that will reach you. The directing goes well with the line of modern french cinema of the likes of François Ozon, with beautiful photography, great picture plans and a very fine dose of European humor. La Cage Dorée was indeed a very positive surprise, standing as a role model for Portuguese and even french movies to come. Visit thefadingcam blog for more!

Without telling the story of the first movie of the film director Ruben Alves, "La cage dorée" is a comedy that deals with relations between immigrants and French; employers and employees, parents and children; neighbors; lovers and close family in a small community in central Paris. The film is a feel good comedy and touches the heart by the beautiful, funny and smart dialogues, the perfect interpretation of French and Portuguese actors, first and second roles, and a discrete and sensitive mise en scene. It is not necessary to be French or Portuguese to be moved by the issues and personal choices of the main characters, just have some feelings.

Exceeded all expectations; it's a gem of a movie, especially for a Portuguese one! Nice plot, a perfect cast, a postcard location in Portugal and, most of all, a whole generation in a self-portrait of the Portuguese community in France, with some tears between many laughs…Even so, I do believe that director Ruben Alves missed the chance to end the movie a few instants earlier, closing a comedy in the traditional drama's style, as last minutes appeals for some tears from the audience. In my opinion, the plot is too strong to begin and end as a comedy, and some work might have been done to take the opportunity to run the movie in a serious "La Vita È Bella" style, instead of the silly path for the nice feeling sensation, with Pauleta's presence being a completely non-sense – as the Brazilian's says, "Puxa Saco" (it has no translation)!Anyway, I strongly recommend it to be seen; we only have a masterpiece like this once in a while