“Café de Flore” is the first movie in a very long time that made it in my most favorite movies ever and I am sure mine is not the only list it made it on.
It’s quiet surprising that this movie was not nominated for the Oscar or Gold Globes in the Foreign Movie category. It truly should have been on there, though it probably still would not have won over “A Seperation”, due to other reasons than the quality of the movie.
The movie was directed by cinema de Quebec director Jean-Marc Vallée, who became a household name in cinema with his 2005 movie C.R.A.Z.Y that earned him several awards and a Worldwide recognition. In 2009 he directed the more renown movie “The Young Victoria” staring Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend. “Youg Victoria” won an Oscar for “Best Achievement in Costume Design” and was nominated for two others. This put Vallée on a successful path and on the road to a future Oscar. “Café de Flore” does not fall short however. It earned several awards such as “The Best Canadian Feature” at the Canadian Awards and several other awards in different departments at the Genie Awards.
“Cafe de Flore” stars Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent and Helene Florent. It is about a man Antoin Godin who goes through a though divorce with his wife Carole for the sake of his true soulmate Rose and the love of a mother Jaquline for her down syndrome son Laurent. The two stories are set in different time periods and in different cities. Antoin Godin and Carole’s life is set in present time Montreal and the story of mother Jacquelin and her sons Laurent is set in Paris in the 1960s. Throughout the whole movie one asks itself what the connection between the two stories is and it is truly certain that there must be one; otherwise it just does not make any sense. Especially because, the dreams of the recently divorced Carole, feature the Down syndrome child Laurent from the 60s. There is a part at the very beginning of the movie where Antoin Godin who is a DJ travels to Europe for concerts and passes by a group of Down syndrome people at the airport of Montreal. The reason this particular scene catches one’s attention is because the camera follows Antoin and the group until they are out of sight prolonging this scene which at first glance seems unnecessary, but is actually the first connection between the two stories and a preparation for the outcome of the story. Since I do not want to spoil the meaning of the movie and the wonderful way the movie connects these stories that seem so far apart from one another I cannot go into detail. However the movie keeps the audience guessing until the end and does it in an extra ordinary way.
The switch between the different stories is amazing and the scenery as well as the cinematography are just mesmerizing and therefore turn the movie into an aesthetic joy. Most of the time the use of color and light makes the two stories seem like a dream and the camera is as ever as artistic as a camera movements should be.
Therefore this movie does not only offer an amazing script/story but also an artistic direction and great acting, especially Vanessa Paradise transformed in this movie.
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This movie is a wonderful take on reincarnation. Though it never claims that Rose is the reincarnation of little Laurent’s girlfriends and Antoin the reincarnated version of Antoin as well as Carole the reincarnation of Jaquline, but it does cope them together by declaring that Jaquline did not give them the chance to love each other in the previous life and therefore the two soulmates who have not had a shot at their love in their previous life will have one know.
Here the audience gts to decide whether they want to perceive this fact as mere coincidence that is convenient because it helps Carole through the crises or whether they really are reincarnations from the people im the story of the 60s.
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The movie from the feel and the looks of it is just magical and has a touch of fairy tale making us dream about a love that is written in the stars, but also realistic making us see that to love is simply beautiful, but one has to be ready to let go when the time comes and its in the interest of the person we love. The following anonymous quote sums it up: "If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it's yours forever. If it doesn't, it wasn't meant to be."
The name of the movie which is inspired by the same titled song by British DJ Matthew Herbert, is present in the movie as are many other famous titles by Pink Floyd, The Cure and the likes, making music another essential element in the movie not only because the protagonist himself is a DJ.
If you seek an aesthetic and peculiar sort of love story that keeps you guessing until the very end, this movie is a must see. If you love great music in combination with an aesthetic movie “Café de Flore” is a must see.
I rate this movie 9/10
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