Atmospheric, fantastical, tragic and hopeful, the film chronicles the parallel fates of jacqueline, a young mother with a down syndrome son in 1960s paris, and antoine, a recentlydivorced, successful dj in present day montreal. The film is initially difficult to follow because there are a large number of characters without introduction or explanation and the slots they occupy in the film are not at all apparent. Also editor and screenwriter for the film, vallee has created a fractured and subjective world view which is confusing at times, but which also tells a moving story by letting a combination of images and music prevail over speech. There is jacqueline, played by paradis, focused completely on her young son. If youre looking for a cafe to have the cinematic french lunch, then this is it. Atmospheric, fantastical, tragic and hopeful, the film chronicles the parallel fates of jacqueline, a young mother with a disabled son in 1960s paris, and antoine, a recently divorced, successful dj in present day montreal. A narcissistic and unpersuasive mosaic of dreams and flashbacks in which a poor superstar dj mopes about finding multiple soulmates. This from the guy whose last film was 2009s anodyne the young victoria. The title refers not to the popular cafe on boulevard saintgermain in paris, but to a matthew herbert song of the same name which the film uses to represent its musical current. Characters utilize memories of specific songs, including one which gives the film its title, to both sooth and trigger emotions. Frenchcanadian director jeanmarc vallee uses music to connect seemingly. Directed, written, and edited by jeanmarc vallee, the film garnered nominations for the 2012 genie awards. While the use of a medium to reveal the characters past lives might be hokum if you believe the story as one hundred per cent true it is. Oct 31, 2011 jeanmarc vallee returns to frenchlanguage filmmaking with this powerful and unconventional love story that weaves together two disparate narratives to create a tale of emotion and destiny.
Le prix des deux magots, a major french literary prize, derived its name from the parisian cafe les deux magots, when i travelled to paris, visited both. Pix, dublin, goteborg, toronto, transilvania, tubingen 120 presentday montreal. A love story about people separated by time and place but connected in profound and mysterious ways. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. Vanessa paradis, helene florent, evelyne brochu, emile vallee, jeanmarc vallee, nicolas. The viewer will have to leap with vallee, but his film is so surefooted, emotionally and cinematically, that that risky step seems like walking on air in a beautiful dream. Atmospheric, fantastical, tragic and hopeful, the film chronicles the parallel. This does become clearer over time and technically, the film works pretty well. Jeanmarc vallee 2011, venice, afi fest, atlantic film festival, cph. The bitter truth about french coffee culture frenchly. With vanessa paradis, kevin parent, helene florent, evelyne brochu.