Sarah (Maslany) meets back up with a slightly recovered Helena, released by her minder to continue hunting down the clones.

Paul (Dylan Bruce) deals with Olivier (David Richmond-Peck) who has the reports back from Sarah’s night abduction, and he knows now that Sarah is not Beth. We also see that Leekie (Matt Frewer) is pulling some of the strings behind the scenes, and is higher up the chain than Olivier.

Leekie’s ideas for Neolution, self-directed evolution are coming into play as he and the lovely Delphine (Evelyne Brochu) attempt to convince Kasima to come work with them (and Leekie knows she’s one of the clones).

We also learn a little more about Olivier when Helena accosts him at the Neolutionists club.

And Sarah and Mrs. S (Maria Doyle Kennedy) have a nice moment that seems to be the first in burying the axe between them.

The further we get into the series, the more I’m loving the web that is being woven by the writers/creators; John Fawcett and Graeme Manson, and penning this week’s ep, Tony Elliott. Everything is coming together, but I think even by the end of the first series, we’re going to be left with questions. For all the answers I’m sure they’ll give us, I know that they’ll also give us just as many new questions, and that makes me smile.

I’m also delighted to see that Art (Kevin Hanchard) and Angela (Inga Cadranel) are going right back to the beginning of the cases with the Jane Does and building the evidence step by step, and they’ve already discovered some surprising things.

Felix (Jordan Gavaris) has some really nice moments, as he gets into the Neolutionist club, after Sarah asks if he carries his makeup bag with him everywhere. He goes in to find and trail Paul, which also leads to some funny moments.

Kasima continues to be my favorite, which is why I’m so mad and worried about the Delphine/Leekie connection, she’s a clever girl, but I’m worried that she’s walking into not only trouble, but some serious heartbreak. Poor kid.

The further along we move, the more we realize that soon, very soon now, Sarah and all those close to her may very well be on the run, trying to elude not only Helena, and Leekie but the law as well. Outside the core group of clones, Felix and Paul, if I were Sarah, I wouldn’t be trusting too many other people.

Mrs. S talks about how she was asked to hide Sarah when she was young, and that was why they came to North America, hiding as deep as they could. You know that story thread is going to come back…

This series continues to be one of the smartest dramas on television right now, finding just the right balance to keep the audience coming back week after week, offering tension, revelations, scares and laughs. It really does tend to find the perfect balance.

What did you think of it?

Orphan Black airs Saturdays on Space.

I highly enjoyed this episode, it’s not easy so early in the run of a series to do not quite a flat-out comedy, but really play up the humorous side of a story while still advancing the driving plot of the season.

Will Pascoe wrote this episode, putting Graeme Manson’s and John Fawcett’s characters through their paces in a way you wouldn’t expect…

Allison (Tatiana Maslany) still suspects that Donnie (Kristian Bruun) is her watcher and takes it one step too far, by nailing him with a golf club and then tying him to a chair to interrogate him with a glue gun!!

Paul (Dylan Bruce) and Sarah learn a little bit more about each other, though it’s fair to say that they are both keeping things back from the other. We know Paul was in the military and is now a merc, sorry, contractor, who really isn’t sure what the tests are that are being done on Sarah as Beth, he’s just there to keep an eye on her.

Things go hilariously sideways for Sarah when Allison calls her to come and help her with Donnie, completely forgetting the fact that she and Donnie are supposed to be hosting that month’s neighborhood potluck… Oh the joys of suburbia.

Sarah interrogates Donnie as Allison, Allison is drinking her troubles away as she plays hostess, and Felix (Jordan Garavis) serves as bartender.

Things really go sideways when Vic (Michael Mando) and Paul show up, Vic following Felix, and Paul following Sarah. Things get wicked when Vic and Paul square off, and Allison’s neighbor Aynesley (Natalie Lisinska) must think all manner of things about her neighbor…

It’s not all laughs though, as Kasima continues her little flirt with Delphine (Evelyne Brochu) (and who can blame her?!) and they attend a lecture on Neolution at Delphine’s urging.

The lecture is given by a Dr. Leekie (Matt Frewer) who is forwarding a number of ideas, that may tie back to the genetic manipulation that led to the creation of the clones.

A theory which may have some merit to it, with the reveal at the episode’s end, that Leeki and Delphine already know each other…

Although how Leekie fits in with Olivier (David Richmond-Peck) I’m not sure, or perhaps they don’t and there are more parties at work than we know of.

This show continues to be so well-crafted and smart. At no point has the series talked down to its viewers, it treats them intelligently and engages their intellect and their emotions.

Tatiana continues to rock it, watching Sarah try to get the glass away from Allison, who leans away from her long enough to finish her wine was a brilliant moment, and I had to remind myself that it was the same actor playing both roles. It’s stunning to watch, everything changes from character to character, posture, voice, hair, mannerisms, and then watching each clone pretend to be someone else, you can tell it’s say Sarah behaving as Beth or vice versa, it’s not just simply Tatiana acting as one or the other, AMAZING!

If you aren’t watching Orphan Black, you are missing out on some stellar television… Catch up now, especially now that we know they are coming back for a second season.

An all new episode airs tonight on Space!

Don’t Mess with Clones

Episode six was like a Keystone Cops movie. Alison is paranoid after checking her Nanny Cam. Her husband is seen sneaking out of the bedroom. Where is he sneaking off to?  She questions Donnie; he lies; she knocks him out with a golf club. Alison is so cool. I love this clone. She’s like the Terminator. As Alison drags her unconscious husband to the laundry room she drops him down a flight of stairs. After she ties him up, she tortures him for the truth, and her weapon of choice; a hot glue gun. This takes scrapbooking to a new level.

Party Animals

Unfortunately for Alison, she forgot the big neighborhood potluck lunch was at her house and is surprised when all her neighbors stream in with food, snacks and drinks. Alison calls for help, but it’s not for Alice from the Brady Bunch; she calls Sarah. Sarah/Beth, who has been arguing with Paul, pretends she’s taking a shower and escapes. When Sarah arrives at Alison’s house, she interrogates Donnie, who’s tied up like a Christmas goose, while Alison entertains the neighbors.

Cosima

The French co-worker, Delphine (Evelyne Brochu) is following Cosima. I think Cosima is on to her, but she plays along and goes with Delphine to a lecture where Dr. Aldous Leekie (Matt Frewer) a pop scientist talks about Neolution and self-directed evolution. Is this the man behind the cloning? From the conversation that he has with Cosima, he could very well be.

Party Crashers

When Alison gets drunk, Sarah/Beth has to switch places with her to fool the party guests who are very obnoxious and nosy. Overwhelmed with said party guests and worried about Donnie, who’s tied up in the laundry room, Sarah/Beth calls Felix for help. Felix gets to play bartender, but there is one little problem. Vic has followed Felix to Alison’s house and is looking for Sarah. Meanwhile, Paul is speaking with the mysterious Mr. Duval. Will Paul rat out Sarah? Paul has Sarah/Beth’s car bugged and follows her to Alison’s house. This is the keystone cop part; are you ready? Vic finds Felix, Paul finds Alison, Sarah/Beth finds Vic, Paul finds Donnie. Vic threatens Sarah; Paul threatens Vic; Alison’s best friend and neighbor is completely confused. But all is well in the suburbs; and the party is a big success.

Conclusion

What did we learn in episode six? No one is who they seem to be, but we are learning a bit more about our clones and their monitors. I love Felix and enjoy every scene he’s in, and I’m so happy that Matt Frewer (who will always be Max Headroom to me) is on the show.

I finally got a chance to catch up on last week’s Orphan Black (sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day!) and this show gets better and better each episode! I’m so glad they are coming back for a second season!

This episode marks the halfway point of the season, and nothing like making things even tougher for Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) and all of her other selves!

Both Sarah and Allison begin to suspect their significant others of ulterior motives and spying, especially after Sarah has a night-time abduction which sees her strapped down in a laboratory and examined. What could have been passed off as a dream or memory is confirmed as a reality when Sarah spits up part of an electrode she swallowed.

This puts suspicion directly on Paul (Dylan Bruce), he may not know what is going on, but he’s complicit in it.

Allison, meanwhile, is going all out, investigating her house, checking everywhere for evidence that her husband, Donnie (Kristian Bruun)  is somehow monitoring her. He goes so far as to replant some previously discovered porn to keep secrets safe.

It seems both men may be involved some how, especially Paul, overseen by the newly introduced and rather mysterious Olivier (David Richmond-Peck), who asks after Beth. Paul waves off any concern, but is that because he’s falling for Sarah’s version of Beth, or does he have some other game plan?

Things get even more complicated when Vic (Michael Mando) sees Allison, and consequently learns Sarah is still alive, storming into Felix’s (Jordan Gavaris) to find Sarah there, and demanding the money for the missing coke from episode 1.

The hits just keep on coming!!!

Sarah learns Paul has been following her and has pics of her with her daughter Kira (Skyler Wexler) which leads right into the climax of the episode as Paul and Sarah confront one another about who each of them really is!

GAH!!!

We get a brief glance of Helena being tended to after her encounter with Sarah in the previous episode, but she’s sadly missing from the rest of it. Not that there wasn’t enough to keep the mind reeling and engaged!

Tatiana continues to wow and impress with every scene, she brings each of the clones to life in a unique way, and it was fun this week to see her Kasima have a bit of a flirt with the lovely Delphine (Evelyne Brochu).

The show continues to wow, proving itself to be one of the smartest and provoking programs currently on the air, and it makes me giddily happy to know it was filmed here in Toronto, and features the work of friends of mine.

Now that I know a Season 2 is coming, I am settling in for the long haul on this one, because I cannot wait to see what they have for us next!!

Orphan Black airs Saturdays on Space! (Which means I should have another review up in a couple of days or two!!!)

What do you think of the show?

Inch’Allah, directed by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, courtesy of Seville Pictures.

The international honours just keep coming for Quebec films. The Canada-France co-production Inch’Allah has won the FIPRESCI prize in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival, it was announced Friday. The prize is awarded by a jury of international film critics.

The award comes just a day after the film’s writer-director Anais Barbeau-Lavalette was named Artist for Peace for 2012, a prize doled out by the organization Les Artistes pour la paix.

Inch’Allah stars Evelyne Brochu as a Quebecois obstetrician working in a Palestinian refugee camp on the West Bank and living in Israel. It had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last fall and is nominated for best film at both the Jutra Awards and at the newly-created Canadian Screen Awards. The film is set to be released next month in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Holland.

The Berlin Film Festival wraps on Sunday with its award ceremony and another Quebec film, Denis Cote’s Vic et Flo on vu un ours is in the official competition at Berlin.

That said, the latest round of unrest in the region has made international headlines, and I’m not about to ignore it altogether.  But instead of attending some sorta rally for one group or the other, I engage in résistance festive by going to the movies.  Inch’Allah was one of the flicks I wanted to see at TIFF 2012, but I couldn’t get a ticket before all three screenings sold out.  And yet, a week after it officially opens, it’s only showing twice a day in one of the small third-floor theatres at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.  I guess most of the folks who wanted to see it were already at the festival?

Not only had I never been up to the third floor of the Lightbox before (it’s smaller and less fancy than the second-floor theatres, but hey, there’s still lotsa legroom!), I had also never eaten at the Canteen restaurant downstairs.  Run by Oliver & Bonacini, it’s received some less-than-rave reviews, but I figured I still had to try it at least once.  The menu consists of fairly familiar foods at less-than-generous prices ($14 eggs benny, $16 grilled cheese), but I figured if I was going to pay a little more for lunch, I’d at least try something I couldn’t get for less money at the Ultimate Cafe across the street.  So I ordered the Semolina Gnocchi, with braised lamb, rosemary and Parmesan.  Dunno what happened to the cheese, though…

Anyways, the gnocchi was lightly crisp on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside, the lamb was nice and tender, and the cute little serving dish was so hot that I burned my finger on it (a heads-up would’ve been nice).  Adding insult to injury, when I went to run my reddish digit under cold water in the washroom, the fancy automatic sink only ran hot.  Not cool, man!  Anyways, I can say that it was a decent-sized portion for lunch, but I don’t think you get any more at dinnertime.

…

As for the movie, well, if you want a whimsical, beyond-borders love story, don’t go see this one.  War Is Hell, as they say, and the ongoing standoff between Israel and Palestine is no exception.  Some people say that the latest round of fighting was spawned by the upcoming Israeli election, but you almost hafta wonder if the producers of Inch’Allah made a deal with Netanyahu to help them get an Oscar nod…  I kid, of course, but this film couldn’t be any more timely, hitting theatres just a couple days after the latest ceasefire.  A co-production between Canada and France, it’s worth noting that the latter voted for Palestinian observer status at the UN a couple days ago, while the former voted against.  In any case, this movie doesn’t really take a side in the conflict, showing life on both sides of the border (though the Palestinian part was apparently shot in Jordan).

The story unfolds through the eyes of Chloé (Évelyne Brochu), a young French-Canadian doctor who lives in Israel, but works at a UN maternal health clinic in Palestine.  There, she befriends a French-speaking Isareli border-guard who lives in her building while building a relationship with a pregnant Palestinian patient.  From an outsider’s perspective, Chloé is taken aback by the great divide between the two peoples; even early in the film, when she asks her friend to say something on camera-phone to the Palestinian people, the soldier can’t think of anything beyond “Bonjour Palestine…” then, after a long pause, “Enchantée.”

Brochu has only had a few years of film experience, but is no stranger to dramatic roles, having tackled the Montreal Massacre in the 2009 Denis Villeneuve film Polytechnique.  Her emotions are on full display here, mostly the grief and stress from being stuck in this situation.  She tries to intervene on several occasions, but in the end, her actions only make things worse.  As her doctoral colleague Michael tries to tell her (and I’m paraphrasing a translation here), you’ve just got to keep cool and not get involved.  I suppose that message could apply to the outside world as a whole when it comes to this conflict…

Alas, while two of the last three films produced by the duo of Luc Déry and Kim McCraw were nominated for foreign-language Oscars (namely Monsieur Lazhar and Incendies), I wouldn’t say this one’s quite on the same level.  Controversial subject matter aside, the movie may be equally dark as some of their past work, but Inch’Allah lacks the explosive action and stunning cinematography of Incendies, whereas its personal angle isn’t quite as strong as Monsieur Lazhar‘s.  (Unlike Denis Villeneuve or Philippe Falardeau, Inch’Allah director Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette isn’t exactly a household name.)  A stark look at Israel and Palestine, to be sure, but I wouldn’t say it really offered any new insight into the conflict for those who’ve been following the news.  Perhaps these outsiders could’ve just left this topic alone, eh?

Cafe de Flore is an audacious yet occasionally impenetrable romantic drama from French-Canadian director Jean-Marc Valée, best known for his 2005 debut C.R.A.Z.Y. With this, his third feature, Valée presents us with a challenging, bifurcated film that, while not always successful, is a remarkable attempt at something wholly original.

Cafe de Flore tells two superficially unrelated stories: Antoine (Kevin Parent) is a DJ living in modern day Montreal with his two daughters and girlfriend Rose (Evelyne Brochu). Antoine is ostensibly happy yet struggling with his recent decision to leave his wife of 20 years, Carole (Hélène Florent), for the younger Rose. Meanwhile in 1960s Paris, we follow single mother Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) as she defiantly tries to raise her Down Syndrome son, Laurent (Marin Gerrier).

Valée drapes his film in an impressionistic blur that at times borders on pretension, like a contrived blend of Terrence Malick and Gaspar Noe, but as he slowly connects – thematically and spiritually – the two stories, Cafe de Flore becomes immensely fascinating. Props, colours, and musical motifs start to bleed between the two stories as the his bold conceit becomes clear. You may not ultimately agree with Valée’s big spiritual pay off (it may be interpreted as a mere excuse for a middle-aged man to have an affair) but it’s undeniably gripping, creative, and brash cinema.

Technically the movie is marvellous with an assuredly impeccable grasp of visual detail. Pierre Cottereau’s photography is florid yet precise, peppering the frame with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it details that greatly add to the half-remembered, elusive nature. Vanessa Paradis is also amazing, bringing true joy and sensitivity to her heart-breaking role as mother of the handicapped child.

Cafe de Flore will easily frustrate many viewers with its wilful obtuseness and its unearned, contrived climax, but Jean-Marc Valée has mostly succeeded in making a truly original and modern picture that incorporates music into its texture in truly sophisticated ways. Watching Cafe de Flore often feels like you’re flicking through a stranger’s photo album while playing a mystery mix-tape. It can be an alienating and hermetic experience at times but the boldness of the enterprise is impossible to ignore.

4/5

Cafe de Flore arrives on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia on September 12, 2012.

Juxtaposing two heartsick families in Montreal and Paris, Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallée is back with Cafe de Flore: an intense, emotional journey into the idea of obsessive love.

On the surface, Cafe De Flore is, quite simply, a film about love – that between a man and a woman, and that of a mother and son. Though superbly shot, and complete with an exquisite soundtrack, it unfortunately fails to live up to the grand scale of the complicated many-stranded concepts laid down behind it.

Written and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (the man behind The Young Victoria and C.R.A.Z.Y., one of the most successful films to ever come out of his native Quebec), the first thing that hits home about Cafe De Flore is the sheer scale of the ambition behind it. Set over two different families, in two different countries, in two different time periods – and even two different states of consciousness – the film jumps, bounces and skitters between familial life in present-day Montreal and 1960s Paris.

First, we are shown 39-year-old Antoine (Kevin Parent), a successful international DJ living in Montreal with his pretty elfin girlfriend Rose (Evelyne Brochu), two nice kiddies, and a rather nice house to boot. You think he’d be a pretty content guy, right? Wrong. In between jetsetting all over the world, playing music to crowds of thousands and having steamy sex with his missus, Antoine spends a good deal of time moaning to his therapist about the guilt he feels surrounding his ex-wife Carole (Hélène Florent), mother of his children and his first love, whom he unceremoniously dumped for younger model Rose. Unsurprisingly, both his parents and his daughters (not to mention heartbroken Carole, who is tormented by sleepwalking and unsettling dreams) clearly resent this decision, and though Vallée paints some aesthetically beautiful slow-motion snapshots of the relationship between Antoine and Rose, it’s still hard to work up much sympathy for his plight.

The second narrative strand follows single mother Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) as she endeavours to bring up her young Down’s syndrome son Laurent in ‘60s Paris. Already this story holds much more promise than Antoine’s tedious mid-life crisis, and there are moments of real tenderness and flawlessly acted affection between mother and son as Jacqueline battles to overturn others’ prejudice against Laurent’s condition, and sacrifices everything to give him the best possible life she can. But when Laurent falls in love with Véronique, a fellow classmate who also has Down’s syndrome – consequently breaking away from the intense, almost claustrophobic love he shares with his mother – Jacqueline becomes consumed with jealousy.

Vallée uses a well-chosen set of music to link the two stories, with the title lounge track ‘Cafe De Flore’ first acting as Laurent’s favourite record in Paris, and later set to a chillout beat played at the moment of Antoine and Rose’s first meeting in Montreal. The rest of the soundtrack is exceptional, with names like The Cure, Sigur Ros and Pink Floyd creating a soulful, heartfelt mirror to the film’s poignant events. But music aside, what’s the underlying connection between two such disparate sets of characters? Well, as you might expect, you’ll have to watch to find out.

That said; you might be somewhat disappointed once you do. A plot twist towards the end seems both rushed and unsatisfying, failing to really address the complex emotional issues Vallée had been building up until that point – and in addition, throws in a seemingly bizarre arc of clunky cosmic mysticism that is out of place with the rest of the human drama-orientated plot. The supposed ‘fantastical odyssey on love’ promised in the film’s tagline falls rather flat when taken into account that this spiritual aspect only really comes into play in the last ten or fifteen minutes.

All in all, Cafe De Flore is a film that’s definitely worth a watch, though not one that pulls off everything it sets out to achieve. The story is for the most part compelling, the performances well-acted and cinematography lavishly crafted, and there are scenes that create a genuine sense of emotive poignancy and compassion – but don’t expect to leave the cinema with any great sense of epiphany.

Written by Charlotte McManus

Best movie in 2011.

[9/10]

There’s an intricate underlying structure at work here, as a pair of seemingly unrelated stories slowly begin to intertwine. The first, set in present day Montreal, follows Antoine (Kevin Parent). Antoine has it all: a woman he loves, two daughters, and a successful career as a DJ. The second takes place in Paris in 1969. It focuses on a devoted single mother named Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) and her mentally handicapped son Laurent (Marin Gerrier).

Vallée cuts between the two stories frequently and suddenly, and sometimes flashes backwards and forwards within them. It’s a disorienting experience at first as we try to figure out exactly how all the pieces might fit together, but over time a clearer picture begins to take shape.

Both narratives in Café De Flore start out happily enough, but neither Jacqueline nor Antoine lead charmed lives. Feelings of betrayal and resentment begin to affect them in different ways. In Jacqueline’s case, she directs these emotions at a new playmate of Laurent’s, who suddenly occupies all his attention. The two become inseparable, and Jacqueline feels replaced and forgotten. In Antoine’s story, he himself becomes the object of hatred due to his romantic entanglements.

Both stories are thematically linked, and even as their resolutions diverge, the link between them becomes more and more evident. Café De Flore is a redemptive experience with an unusual twist.

About QFA reviews: This is my third review for the Quinte Film Alternative. They’re an organization that shows independent/niche movies at the Empire Theatre here in Belleville, Ontario. If you’re in the area (or just passing through) it’s a great place for movie-lovers. But even if you aren’t around here, I’d encourage you to check out these films and support the independent theatre(s) in your area. Café de Flore is scheduled to play at the Empire on May 9th at 2 pm and 7:30 (it is also available on DVD). This review originally appeared here.

Cafe de Flore is out on 11th May in the UK. Running time 120 mins. Certificate 15 (UK).

Comments and feedback are always welcome or just give the film a rating by using the stars at the top.

Review by David Rank

Café de Flore is a labour of love by writer/director Jean-Marc Valee (C.R.A.Z.Y). It is an account of two very different love stories – tales separated by different characters, countries and time periods. In spite of all this, an overarching feeling of loss, an intense rawness and a bittersweet tension link the two parts together.

In Paris 1969 we are introduced to an overprotective, single mother named Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) and her seven-year-old son who has Down’s syndrome (Marin Gerrier). Laurent and his mother are initially inseparable as the latter is trying to give the former a normal life and ultimately prolong it. Things change however, when he meets and falls in love with fellow sufferer, Véronique (Alice Dubois). The performances by all three are perfect. You can really sympathise with the mother who is left distraught by the idea that she may lose her charming, little boy.

While the first narrative was about people who had a multitude of reasons to not be happy, the second one could’ve almost been a fairytale. Here we meet Antoine (Kevin Parent) a middle-aged DJ who is living an enviable life raising two gorgeous daughters with his equally pretty girlfriend (Evelyne Brochu). But life is not always a bed of roses because he still thinks of his ex-wife (Hélène Florent), his first love and original soul mate.

The film is an ambitious undertaking as multiple flashbacks and crosses are interwoven together, which eventually tease out this unconventional love story. Unfortunately, the link between the two plots feels rather tenuous and contrived. It means the viewer will have to suspend belief and ignore their gut feelings of confusion, as they have to sit back and wait as each layer is eventually revealed. Basically, it is a great idea that could have been executed in a better way, had some of the ambiguities been ironed out earlier on.

The cinematography is rather beautiful. We have the staid early period contrasting with the high-octane club environment of the present. Another key point in the film is the soundtrack because music by Pink Floyd, Sigur Rós and The Cure are used to create ambience and in the case of the latter, to also evoke nostalgia. The song Pictures Of You stirs up painful memories for the man who fell in love with the track at the same point as he fell for his high-school sweetheart. Moreover, the film’s title comes from a song loved by the DJ and young boy.

Café de Flore is ultimately a jarring melodrama that makes for rather challenging viewing. At times unsettling, it often fails to provide an easy answer to your questions. Instead it is a mystical take on the power of love where the viewer has to fill in the majority of the gaps. In short, it’s an emotional tale and curious mystery, where complex human emotions collide, in much the same way as love.

Originally published on 17 April 2012 at the following website: http://lipmag.com/arts/film-arts/film-review-cafe-de-flore/

Visit Lip Magazine’s homepage at: http://lipmag.com

Café de Flore is a labour of love by writer/director Jean-Marc Valee (C.R.A.Z.Y). It is an account of two very different love stories – tales separated by different characters, countries and time periods. In spite of all this, an overarching feeling of loss, an intense rawness and a bittersweet tension link the two parts together.

In Paris 1969 we are introduced to an overprotective, single mother named Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) and her seven-year-old son who has Down’s syndrome (Marin Gerrier). Laurent and his mother are initially inseparable as the latter is trying to give the former a normal life and ultimately prolong it. Things change however, when he meets and falls in love with fellow sufferer, Véronique (Alice Dubois). The performances by all three are perfect. You can really sympathise with the mother who is left distraught by the idea that she may lose her charming, little boy.

While the first narrative was about people who had a multitude of reasons to not be happy, the second one could’ve almost been a fairytale. Here we meet Antoine (Kevin Parent) a middle-aged DJ who is living an enviable life raising two gorgeous daughters with his equally pretty girlfriend (Evelyne Brochu). But life is not always a bed of roses because he still thinks of his ex-wife (Hélène Florent), his first love and original soul mate.

The film is an ambitious undertaking as multiple flashbacks and crosses are interwoven together, which eventually tease out this unconventional love story. Unfortunately, the link between the two plots feels rather tenuous and contrived. It means the viewer will have to suspend belief and ignore their gut feelings of confusion, as they have to sit back and wait as each layer is eventually revealed. Basically, it is a great idea that could have been executed in a better way, had some of the ambiguities been ironed out earlier on.

The cinematography is rather beautiful. We have the staid early period contrasting with the high-octane club environment of the present. Another key point in the film is the soundtrack because music by Pink Floyd, Sigur Rós and The Cure are used to create ambience and in the case of the latter, to also evoke nostalgia. The song Pictures Of You stirs up painful memories for the man who fell in love with the track at the same point as he fell for his high-school sweetheart. Moreover, the film’s title comes from a song loved by the DJ and young boy.

Café de Flore is ultimately a jarring melodrama that makes for rather challenging viewing. At times unsettling, it often fails to provide an easy answer to your questions. Instead it is a mystical take on the power of love where the viewer has to fill in the majority of the gaps. In short, it’s an emotional tale and curious mystery, where complex human emotions collide, in much the same way as love.

Originally published on 17 April 2012 at the following website: http://lipmag.com/arts/film-arts/film-review-cafe-de-flore/

Visit Lip Magazine’s homepage at: http://lipmag.com

"OK, I forgive you for ripping the sleeves off my jumper"

Antoine has it all. (Oh dear: you don’t want to be a character who has it all at the start of a film.) He has beautiful kids and a hot wife, and he’s a hot international DJ. He also speaks French (which is hot) as this is a French Canadian film. But Antoine is obsessed by a sense that he cocked up his life when he split up with his first love.

Interleaved with his story are two others: of a single mum (Vanessa Paradis) struggling to raise a son with Down syndrome in Sixties Paris, and of a woman plagued by strange dreams.

The stories are connected but, um, not well, and it’s directionless for too long. But there are great performances (especially the kids), some beautifully observed moments and a resonant dramatic question: can two people be each other’s whole world? 6/10

Released April 26, 2012.

This was the first time I’ve seen Café de Flore since unknowingly watching it in Venice, and was fairly excited for a second watching. Although also slightly wary, as the first watch was so immersive (the same reason I didn’t review it fully then) I was worried it may turn out to be a bit less intense on a second, more objective watch. It wasn’t, it’s incredible.

The story’s strong, the cinematography’s enticing and the music’s sublime. The characters openly discuss the feeling and euphoria music gives them, without coming off as forced or pretentious, it’s wholly believable. It also has a timeless feel given its flick between chronological narratives, and this atmosphere adds to the whole cinematic experience of a work of art focused around the mutations and shown forms of love.

Antoine (Kevin Parent) is a successful DJ who’s recently left his school girlfriend, wife, and mother of his two children, Carole (Hélène Florent) for Rose (Évelyne Brochu), while this story cleverly, but at first quite hiddenly, relates back to and coincides with another co-running story of single mother Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) and her down syndrome child Laurent (Marin Gerrier) in 1960s France.

The subtle premise of reincarnation and past lives is very slightly cringe worthy, but the way the director (Jean-Marc Vallée) weaves this into the rest of the plotline and subsequent result ensure this is easily ignorable and the film still proves itself a visually and audio delight.

The intricate and complex psychology of the characters is expressed beautifully thanks to the writing. The feelings and emotions running through Carole’s mind after Antoine leaves her would usually be trivialised in the context of a film as it’s so hard to convey these feelings in cinema, however the way we watch her mind work as a new story of its own (in the form of the 1960s mother and son relationship) gives us a way to involve with the mind bogglingly complex series of emotions running through her.

And most importantly, the music is jaw droppingly, awe inspiringly cool. Ever wondered how good sound mixing really feels? As Antoine remarks himself on “cutting the sound” during his DJ sets, the punch is so much more worth it. 

Café de Flore: Website / IMDb / Wikipedia

Watch the trailer for Café de Flore below.

Told in two parallel stories, Flor first takes us to contemporary Montreal where hotshot musician DJ Antoine (Kevin Parent) and his ex-wife Carole (Hélène Florent), the mother of his two daughters, are clearly not over their breakup, which happened two years prior. Antoine is involved in an intense relationship with Rose (Évelyne Brochu), but he’s racked by guilt about the breakup. Yet his angst does not compare to Carole’s, who is tortured by the dueling forces of insomnia and strange nightmares, unable to come to terms with the reality that Antoine, whom she believed was her soulmate, is no longer sharing her bed, or her life.

The other narrative of Café de Flore unravels in 1969 Paris as we’ve hardly seen it: a decidedly unglamorous city. Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) is a single mother raising Laurent (Marin Gerrier), her Down’s syndrome afflicted son. Jacqueline’s single-minded determination to protect him from the world borders on obsession.

The two story lines eventually link up, possibly causing some viewers to lose their patience with the twisting, turning plots.

As usual, Vallée garners stunning performances from his cast. Paradis plays against type and dives headfirst into the surprisingly ferocious mother-on-a-mission role. Rose (Brochu) is the woman who’s stuck in the middle of the psycho-drama that is Antoine (Parent) and Carole’s (Florent) tumultuous relationship. But the stunner seems to be Parent. A singer-songwriter in real life, this is his first film, which he has pulled off with sublime skill. He embraces rock star confidence and sex appeal while hinting at tenderness.

With a soundtrack that weaves together Sigur Rós, Pink Floyd, The Cure,  and the jazz-inspired song by British DJ Matthew Herbert that inspired the title, Café de Flore is a film not to be missed.

Catch Café de Flore at PIFF35. Playing Saturday February 11th at 5:30 PM (Lake Twin Cinema), Monday February 13th at 6 PM (Lloyd Mall 5), and Monday February 20th at 7:30 PM (Cinema 21).

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When I recently met up with a large group of people involved in the Toronto film blogging scene, I was really looking forward to discussing everything I had watched at Midnight Madness and Toronto After Dark, from mind melting movies like Kill List and Redline, to action packed offerings like The Raid and A Lonely Place to Die. We got to talking about these Genre films, but by the end of the night everyone was raving about Café de Flore, which I had never even heard of. Apparently, this mysterious film out of Canada and France was making some serious noise amongst the critics. I quietly sipped my beer, upset with myself for not being on top of this new release. However, I’m new to the review game, and I was hanging out with veterans. There was only one course of action. The next day I went to the Cumberland Cinema in Toronto and bought a ticket for Café de Flore.

The film is written and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée who came into the spotlight a few years back with the very successful C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005). This time around Vallée tells the audience a dizzying and flashback heavy story about love and loss. Café de Flore begins by following two separate story lines. The first is about a single mother named Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) and her young son Laurent (Marin Gerrier), who was born with Down’s syndrome. The pair do not live a very comfortable life, but it is a happy one, thanks to Jacqueline’s unwavering and almost superhuman dedication to her son, despite the inevitable difficulties that Laurent’s condition may present on a daily basis. On the other side of the coin is the story of Antoine (Kevin Parent), a very successful DJ at the age of forty. Antoine travels the world, has two beautiful young daughters, is in the best shape of his life, and is madly love with Rose (Evelyne Brochu). These two stories are two very different snapshots of life and an interesting juxtaposition of two very different types of love. From here a series of flashbacks and present day scenes advance these stories in directions that are not always clear, with characters that are not always easily understood, but this confusion is intentional as Café de Flore builds up to an emotionally charged finale that will not be easily forgotten.

Having seen Café de Flore a few days ago, I’m still trying to determine exactly how I feel about it. That it’s a powerful and entertaining film is very clear, but how good is it? Will it garner any Canadian awards? I would not hesitate to say yes. Is it in my personal top ten of the year? Without a doubt. Will it be mentioned in Oscar talks? We’ll have to wait and see.

The film has been expertly crafted on so many levels. Very often I’m not hugely impressed by the ability of Dramas to elicit emotions from an audience, it often feels like the filmmakers are cheating. A kind person or an innocent child dies, another person overcomes adversity, characters fall in love – maybe I’m blowing it out of proportion, but I’ve lost interest in these stories unless there is something spectacular about them. One of the main strengths of Café de Flore is the jumbled nature of the narrative. Thanks to the many flashbacks and the non-linear script, it takes a while to even figure out who is who, let alone the inner emotions and motivations of these characters. This unconventional storytelling could have been a disaster, but manages to work wonderfully.

Another area where Café de Flore excels is in the acting department. Vanessa Paradis’ performance is powerful and is certainly going to get some award attention, while the performance by Marin Gerrier as her son had me shaking my head in amazement. Where did they find this kid? He’s a natural actor, and as far as I can tell this is his first feature film.

Finally, music plays a very large role in the film, and the soundtrack is great as a whole, but the highlight has to be the nightclub scenes. I thought the opening club scenes in Blade and Replacement Killers were good, but they don’t seem to compare to the resonating bass and dizzying lights on display in Café de Flore. I feel silly saying this, but these nightclub scenes were more exciting and seemed more real than actual nightclubs. Maybe I don’t get out enough.

Despite my love for this film, I still had a few problems with it. For starters, the acting was pretty solid all around, but the casting for some of the flashback scenes was a little questionable. The teenagers that played younger versions of characters in the flashbacks really didn’t resemble their adult counterparts, which became a little distracting as I was trying to figure out who was who. Also, the final scene (stick around for the credits) had me scratching my head as it didn’t seem to fit in with the core messages of the film. Finally, there’s a psychic medium character in Café de Flore, and I’ve got a half-joking saying that goes ‘have a medium and ruin a movie’ (Jeepers Creepers anyone?) Mediums always play the role of someone with privileged information that needs to hold their tongue for the greater good, and as a result, often come across as incredibly annoying characters. However, I’m happy to report that this particular medium did not ruin Café de Flore.

In closing, Café de Flore is a great example of how to make an emotionally charged drama that feels like it brings something new to the table. Amazing acting, beautiful visuals, engrossing music, and one of this years must see films!

Café de Flore has also been awarded the Entertainment Maven Seal of Approval.

In present-day Montreal we meet Antoine, a man who has every reason to be happy and the lucidity to realize it. (I stole that from Vallée’s voice-over introduction, by the way.) He’s played by Kevin Parent, a well-known Quebec singer-songwriter who proves to be a natural in this, his first acting gig.

Antoine is blessed with a beautiful girlfriend, two sweet daughters and a job filled with travel and adulation. He’s a DJ who regularly jets to London to perform in clubs.

Meanwhile (if that’s the right word), in 1969 Paris, Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis) is a single mother raising Laurent, a young boy with Down syndrome. Vallée cuts back and forth between stories, but for most of the film the connection between them is practically subliminal.

One clue might be Antoine’s and Laurent’s shared love of a piece of music called Café de Flore, written in the ’60s and named after a famous Parisian café, more recently remixed by a British techno-musician who goes by the name Doctor Rockit. Music plays an integral role throughout the film, whether it’s the innovative use of the opening scream-and-guitars from Pink Floyd’s Breathe, or a sexy dance number based on those pre-flight instructions you have to sit through on airplanes.

You may chew your nails trying to figure out how these two worlds will ultimately collide, but there’s great pleasure to be found in just following each thread as it ravels.

Jacqueline is a sad and lonely but determined mother whose no-good husband took one look at their handicapped newborn and bolted. She reads everything she can on the disease, feeds essential vitamins to her growing boy, and struggles to keep him enrolled in a normal school rather than an special-needs institution, which she’s convinced will drag him down. Laurent finds a friend in a little girl who suffers from the same condition, but Jacqueline frets, perhaps a touch jealously, over the intensity to which these two seven-year-olds cling to each other.

Antoine, we learn, similarly found his soul mate at a young age, when he and a high-school friend became sweethearts, bonded by a shared love of music (of course). He and Carole (Hélène Florent) had two children but split up when Antoine fell for Rose (Evelyne Brochu). Antoine’s new relationship brings him great joy but also lingering doubt. If one soul mate can be displaced by another, more soulful mate, what certainties of love remain?

Vallée tugs playfully at such questions. His numerous shots of characters waking up, falling asleep, analyzing their dreams or even sleepwalking raise even more quandaries. Is the Paris story just a dream of the past that Antoine (or Carole) is having? Or is Montreal merely a dream of the future? And if it is a dream, is it one of longing or regret?

In fact — if I can be so bold as to state facts – both stories are dreams of the director, who wowed audiences with his award-winning, semi-autobiographical 2005 film C.R.A.Z.Y. He subsequently helmed the relatively big-budget The Young Victoria, doing so ably but leading fans to worry that he’d abandoned his voice.

Fear not. It’s back with musical accompaniment in Café de Flore, which takes a bittersweet turn near the end. It will probably annoy some viewers, but it will also invite conversation and perhaps even a little soul-searching. A word of advice: When the credits begin to role, stay put and watch the screen. To borrow from the language of music, this is one song in which you don’t want to miss the final note.

Café de Flore opens in Toronto Nov. 18; in Vancouver Dec. 2; and in Ottawa Dec. 16.

cknight@nationalpost.com