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| Café Society (2016) |
Cast
Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Carell Steve Carell ...
Phil Stern
Sheryl Lee Sheryl Lee ...
Karen Stern
Todd Weeks Todd Weeks ...
Oscar
Paul Schackman Paul Schackman ...
Al
Jodi Carlisle Jodi Carlisle ...
Maid
Richard Portnow Richard Portnow ...
Walt
Jeannie Berlin Jeannie Berlin ...
Rose Dorfman
Ken Stott Ken Stott ...
Marty Dorfman
Storyline
Set in the 1930s, a young Bronx native moves to Hollywood where he falls in love with the secretary of his powerful uncle, an agent to the stars. After returning to New York he is swept up in the vibrant world of high society nightclub life. Written by Amazon Studios.
User Reviews
Nostalgic and elegant
5 June 2016 | by dierregi (Belgium) – See all my reviews
The plot of the latest Allen's movie is your basic love triangle, set in the 30s and with a small twist. Eisenberg and Stewart play the two young lovers, Bobby and Vonnie, who meet in Hollywood, where Bobby moved from New York.
Bobby's uncle, Phil, is a big shot in the movie industry and Bobby is looking for a job. Vonnie is Phil's secretary and part of her job is to make Bobby feel at home. After a few months, Bobby realizes is not happy on the West Coast, but he is in love with Vonnie.
Bobby proposes to Vonnie and asks her to move to New York with him. But she has a "secret" lover, who also proposes. Bobby moves back to New York alone, to work in his gangster's brother night club. The denouement of their love story is melancholic.
I am not a fan of Stewart, but her part required some aloofness and mystery and she did a good job - whether because she is a good actress or because her range is limited to playing cold and detached I cannot say. Also, the movie offers some classic Allen's punchlines, about life, its meaning or lack thereof. The voice-over did not disturbed me a bit and, as usual, the soundtrack is fabulous. Since I start to feel Allen's nostalgia for the past, this movie fulfilled all my expectations.
If you like Allen's movies, you will probably like this one, too. It is nostalgic but not sentimental and elegant in an old-fashioned way.
