Thursday, March 1, 2012

Café de Flore (2011)

Café de Flore (2011)

Genre: Drama
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring: Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent, Hélène Florent, Evelyne Brochu
Language: French
Duration: 120 min.
Rating: 8.0  

Summary:
Present day Montreal and 1960's Paris are the settings for two seemingly unrelated stories of troubled, clumsy, imperfect and unfinished... human love.



Café de Flore is a film written and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. It premiered in the independent Giornate degli Autori section of the 2011 Venice International Film Festival. It has also garnered 13 nominations at the 32nd Annual Genie Awards (Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television).

It's an eternal love story, intricately woven from two threads that are separated by an ocean and several decades. Quebecois filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée expertly crafts a complex non-linear narrative with a confident flair and a great sense of rhythm. Utilizing rapid shifts backwards and forwards in time, sharp purposeful cross-cuts, and a stellar soundtrack to beat match his twin stories, The undoubtedly talented Vallée comes ever so close to delivering one of the best films of the year.

Music plays an integral role in this film, portrayed as a source of obsession, an occupation, and even as an object of aggression. This connection to music is also reflected in the casting choice of the two lead actors, Kevin Parent and Vanessa Paradis, who are better known for their music careers.


Parent acquits himself nicely for a first time actor, as Antoine, a 40 year old nightclub DJ and family man from Montreal going through a mid-life crisis. He's recently inexplicably left his high school sweetheart wife Carole (Hélène Florent), for Rose (Evelyne Brochu), a woman he falls in love with and bonds with instantly, apparently trading one soul mate for another. 

Parallel to this, we see the story of Paradis' character Jacqueline in 1960's Paris. A single mother who struggles and sacrifices to raise her son Laurent (Marin Gerrier), afflicted with Down Syndrome. This has to be the most unglamorous role I've ever seen her play, but she is a true force, abandoning makeup and high fashion yet maintaining a commanding screen presence to deliver a staggering performance as a mother whose devotion knows no bounds.

How these two storylines are related is kept a mystery for much of the film. The director mixes them flawlessly just like Antoine with his records, slowly unraveling the layers and feeding clues to ratchet up the tension before dropping a bomb on the anticipating audience.


The choice of music here is superb, including cuts from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Tracks so well known that almost anyone in this film's target audience could recognize them after hearing just a half second sample, or have maybe even been obsessed with at one time in their lives. The title of the film also comes from the name of a song playing at a party where Antoine first sees Rose. It's a daft and unremarkable house remix, used perfectly to demonstrate how some songs, even bad ones can stick with us when attached to significant moments in our lives.

There's also a clever sequence where Antoine's daughters make fun of his love for Sigur Ros' Svefn-G-Englar. This is immediately followed by a sprawling montage featuring that very song that even pays some homage to it's original video. Also interestingly, this is the second film I've seen this year to end with Sophie Hunger's sultry cover of Le Vent Nous Portera, which also closes out Venice Special Jury prize winner Terrarferma.

It's difficult to elaborate on exactly what keeps this one from making the cut for me without spoiling it. There's a side character used to reveal and tie things together that should have been completely left out. Even though Vallée leaves room for interpretation (don't go anywhere when the credits start to roll) I feel this film would have been far more powerful if that connection was kept unexplained. Imagine if Kieslowski gave us all the answers to The Double Life of Veronique, it might still be a great film, but it would not be a masterpiece. The magic is in the mystery and Café de Flore gives it up a little too freely.

Bonjour Tristesse









32 comments:

Andrew Buckle said...

This is playing at the upcoming French Film Fest. Unfortunately I don't have a screener, but hoping to still check it out. I think it has an April release here anyway. Your rating has me interested, that's for sure. 

The Angry Lurker said...

It has me intrigued as very little is a surprise these days in cinema....

Michaël Parent said...

Nice review Bonjour Tristesse! I haven't seen this one but it will be on my list for my event Je me souviens. Have you seen Vallée's C.R.A.Z.Y.? It is another great use of music and amazing visuals. I must say that Jean-Marc Vallée is one of my favorite filmmaker from Québec. His La liste noire is also worth the look, one of the first thriller made here. It is sad that his Queen Victoria has been recut by the studios because the visuals are superb and the original story would probably have been even better without the studio's version. I hope to see a Director's cut someday.

Ryan McNeil said...

Anytime I see a review posted for this film I step to, since it was one of my favorites from 2011 (that I didn't actually get to see in 2011).

Funny thing though - I was lucky enough to go to a screening where Valee was present to discuss the film afterwards, and he mapped out some of the ambiguity around what it is we're seeing. On the one hand, it was very cool to hear him point out the signposts within the film that tell you precisely what you're seeing, but on the other hand.....something inside of me didn't actually want a definitive answer.

C'est la vie, I suppose.

While I liked this film just a smidgen more than you did (dig up my review if you're curious), I second every single point you've mentioned in this review. I would only add that if people watch it at hom on dvd/blu-ray, that they make sure their TV is turned up good and loud. This film demands good sound.

Great post!

Ryan McNeil said...

make a point to see it - either at FFF or when it arrives in April. I'd be curious to hear what you think.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yeah do check it out if you get the chance. I'd also like to see that you think of it.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I actually haven't seen any of his other films yet, but C.R.A.Z.Y. is now high on my list.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Thanks Ryan. It would be interesting to hear a Q&A with the director, to see if all the clues I saw were the same as he intended. I was impressed by so many aspects of this film, but I just can't get over that one flaw.

The Angry Vegetarian said...

I could tell I would be interested in this not too long into the review, then I got to the part about  Svefn-G-Englar which made me happy. I'm a bit of a sucker for Sigur Ros (can't get that little special "o"). Looks really good, Bonjour. Thanks, as always :)

Diana2389 said...

I've never seen Vanessa Paradis act, but I do like her voice and she does have a very special presence about her, so maybe I will try to see this movie soon- it sounds great!

Hoi-Ming Ng said...

"The uploader has not made this video available in your country." What the hell? I'm in America, this doesn't happen to me!!!

d_4 said...

Yeah, this has got me written all over it. You started mentioning the music, you went there with Pink Floyd.. I have to see it. I wonder when, but I'll have my eyes peeled for it.

Lisa Thatcher said...

Oh - what a shame..... it's a personal bug bear of mine when the artist doesn't trust the reader/listener/viewer. 
Still with such a wonderful review, and such an interesting use of music, I'll be catching this as fast as I can.

Max Covill said...

Ryan had this on his top 100 on Letterboxd, so I wanted to check it out. Sounds like it might be worth the time. I'll have to see when it is in the area. 

Ryan McNeil said...

Ryan also has it as his number four film of 2011 on letterboxd!

http://letterboxd.com/matinee/list/best-of-2011/ 

Ryan McNeil said...

Drop me an email with the clues. My memory of the Q&A is pretty solid...especially the long answer to my question Vallee gave while looking right at me the whole time

MrANTHROPE said...

those stills look great. Thanks for the tip....again. ha

NeverTooEarlyMP said...

This sounds like one that would be interesting to me. I usually like the films where there are two stories that come together in some way (except for when I get too lost and can't figure out which is which!). I'll try to keep an eye out for how it does next week at the Genies. Thanks for reviewing it!

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Cool. If you do find this one, I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Wow really? I think this is the first time I've heard about a trailer being blocked in the US.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

It is pretty great watch. Do see it if you get the opportunity.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yep the music is outstanding. Not just the individual tracks selected but also how they are integrated with the film. I think you will definitely dig this one.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yes mine too obviously, but it has so many other strengths that I do still highly recommend it.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Everyone keeps talking about Letterboxd. Do you have an invite code to share with me?

Bonjour Tristesse said...

 Always. Thanks for stopping by!

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I've seen all 5 of the best picture nominees, and I would personally vote for Monsieur Lazhar, with this one a close second.

Bob Turnbull said...

Hi Bonjour...I'll try not to add any spoilers to the comments here (I put some in the comments of Ryan's review), but I do disagree with your thought that bringing the stories together is a flaw. Without that connection it would weaken the premise of "letting go". Additionally, I think it warns against the idea of a single "soulmate" - how someone can get so wrapped up in a relationship that they believe the other person couldn't live without them.

I'm far too biased in this film's favour at this point though. I just watched it for the 4th time the other night and it hits me on a variety of different personal levels. I'm just glad people are seeing it, enjoying it and thinking about it...

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I actually don't mind the stories coming together so much, but the way it was handled was too spoon fed for my liking. As a result, the ending did not resonate with me as much as it could have. Maybe I'll see it differently after another viewing, I do think this one deserves a second take.  Thanks for stopping by Bob!

Lisa Thatcher said...

I saw it today! I'll be reviewing it as well - I LOVED it! i thought it was just brilliant.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Excellent. I'll be looking out for your post.

Keith & the Movies said...

I've really been wanting to catch up with this one but I haven't been able to find access to it anyone here in the States. I've grown to appreciate Paradis after seeing her in Girl on a Bridge and even in Heartbreaker.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

This is her most impressive role to date, and the film made it onto a lot of people's top ten lists for last year. I hope you are able to locate it soon.

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