June 23, 2014

Café De Flore - Un Film Fantastique




The themes of music and love tie Paris in the 60s together with contemporary Montreal and wrap the whole story up in a completing knot in the last seconds of the movie. Café de Flore is an epic love story that covers two lifetimes. It recalls the destinies of Jacqueline, the Parisian mother of a Down Syndrome child, and Montreal DJ Antoine and the women orbiting around him.  It raises the question if soul-mates can last forever.



The character of Antoine is deftly portrayed by Quebec rocker Kevin Parent in his first acting role. The sharp-edged Jacqueline is played by the ex-Mrs. Depp, Vanessa Paradis. 

Café de Flore is stunning - expertly crafted - yet has only made about 20% of what the film cost. This mostly Canadian cine-gem would be a contender for Best Film if it were made in Hollywood. People would be laying prostrate at the feet of director Jean Marc Lavallee as the new great auteur.  Although the ending could only be called bittersweet, I fully recommend that you watch it.  
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13 comments:

  1. GiuliaSeptember 10, 2012 at 1:36 PM

    I will (watch it)! Thanks, Hazel...

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  2. LoisSeptember 10, 2012 at 3:59 PM

    that does look good, just got goosebumps.

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  3. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2012 at 5:00 PM

    definetly going to see..

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  4. Jenny WoolfSeptember 10, 2012 at 5:42 PM

    Haven't heard of it here in the UK but it sounds brilliant, so I will look out for it.

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  5. Jenny WoolfSeptember 10, 2012 at 5:43 PM

    Oh, I couldn't play the clip - blocked for copyright reasons. I guess it is not distributed here yet.

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  6. AnonymousSeptember 11, 2012 at 4:00 AM

    There are two possible explanations to the ending, and you have to pay alot of attention to the small details to capture this:

    1. It's what we are literally told

    or

    2. It's what one of the characters has subconciously told herself and slowly built up in order to not kill herself, in order for everyone to be happy, including herself, to allow her to go on living without her 'true' love.

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  7. The Clever PupSeptember 11, 2012 at 9:03 AM

    @ Anonymous - do you think Carole invented the whole Paris scenario? Let me know how you came to this conclusion. Did you see who was waving from the photo in the final seconds?

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  8. The Clever PupSeptember 11, 2012 at 10:21 AM

    Vanessa, you can borrow my copy - and you won't need the subtitles.

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  9. AnonymousSeptember 11, 2012 at 1:18 PM

    Here is the trailer for people in the UK and Ireland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mZYl9srG0M
    Here in Dublin, we had this film on in the Irish Film Institute this Spring. It really is one of the best films I've ever seen. Magical. Passionate. With everybody so alive, in their joy and despair and hope.

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  10. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2012 at 12:38 PM

    It's me again. Yes it's all in Carole's head. Check out my thorough explanation here:

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1550312/board/thread/200744269

    Also the Director himself has said it in interviews.

    Also the following movie blog and Comments made by someone who attended one of the film's Q&A session with the Director confirms that it was in Carole's head.

    http://www.rowthree.com/2011/12/19/cafe-de-flore-a-conversation/


    Tell me what you think. The truth is I didn't pick it up in the first viewing, started to in my 2nd viewing and totally got it in my 3rd viewing. Can't wait for the DVD to come out.

    I'm with you, Jean-Marc Valle is incredibly underrated. Cafe de Flore was awesome on so many levels. One of the best films I've seen in years.

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  11. AnonymousSeptember 13, 2012 at 9:53 AM

    Yes, Carole imagined it.

    The following link discusses the film and the comments made by posters are also revealing, especially about the Q&A session one poster attended:

    http://www.rowthree.com/2011/12/19/cafe-de-flore-a-conversation/

    The following link goes into much more detail and I having seen the film a few times already, I totally agree with the Original Poster:

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1550312/board/thread/200744269

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  12. The Clever PupSeptember 17, 2012 at 8:19 AM

    I will check these links right now. The DVD IS already out in Canada. I own it.

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  13. The Clever PupSeptember 17, 2012 at 8:46 AM

    Frankly, Anonymous, I don't need to know it's "all in Carole's head" Most past life accounts are just that - in your head, as unprovable as ghosts. So what? I prefer to believe that the medium tied it all together for her. The audience, like all audiences is required to suspend their disbelief for 2 hours like we are in all fictional films and believe the story could be true. I like the fact that it ends with the three of them waving at Antoine's parents on the Bateau Mouche. It ties it up perfectly and we are left with that feeling that the whole thing might be plausible. Lavallee's quote, found in the thread, really doesn't say anything.

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I'm interested in what you have to say.