Café Society : 7.1 – seriously?

How could this have a 7.1 rating? I gave it a 9! Or perhaps just a fan of the small, endearing movies that don't fit the cookie cutter mold?

I think the ending is not very good it turns out to be a kind of slice of life movie, like a lot of Woody's movies. He makes very moralistic movies and then these slice of life movies, like a Night In Paris. They are all fun but I think most people like the movies with a real story.

I actually liked that ending (SPOILER or not)just as in the movie, Shopgirl. Sometimes she may be thinking of him, sometimes he may be thinking of her. That *is* a real story because that part does happen. I should know.

I guess it is not just the ending, the movie as a whole does not have much of a point, as also is true of Shopgirl. I just have a thing against Steve Martin as I probably have a thing for Woody Allen, but both of these movies don't have much of a point, or a plot. I liked Cafe Society better, because it had more going on and was more interesting.

Of course the movie has a point.

It's a movie about frustration. It is pessimistic. After all, the entire movie is about lovers being frustrated and ending up that way. But there is some happiness in the film; they both reach happiness at some point, and their love is requited, so if they veer betwen happiness and frustration, well, then that's not so bad, is it? Frustration, while being frustrating, is not sadness. So even a pessimist's take on the whole is not so awful.

Frustration and happiness are not opposites.

Life is about frustration, art is a critique of life, not a photograph.

The score is actually on par with Rotten Tomatoes (70%). This film could have been improved with the cast, as well as the plot. Several parts were cliche or predictable. Also bear in mind, less than 4,000 viewers have voted here.

I think there's a certain cohort of lunatics who automatically give Woody's movies low marks.

Those would be more than canceled out by the lunatics who automatically give Woody's movies high marks.

Look, the scores on IMDB are not a straight arithmetic average (mean) - low and high marks don't have as much weight.

Woody Allen is a consistently compelling artist. If he gets high ratings its because of the quality of his work which is literate, witty and entertaining. Considering the total trash heap that American movies have become, with one cartoon "epic" after another, it is no wonder that the Woodman scores well. And why not? Woody Allen's films can always be relied upon to be a sparkling and sunny oasis away from the movies-as-usual cesspool.

Loathe him as a human being (yes, I believe Mia!) and boycotted his films for more than a decadeuntil I saw Vicky Christina Barcelona on tv; thought it was brilliant. Same with some of his others. And thought I am a cinephile from way way back, and have seen all but one of Best Picture nominees for the Oscar, Cafe Society remains one of my very favorite movies of 2016, point or no point!

I guess a lot of the anti-Woody people dumped on it. I gave it an 8 mostly for the acting and cinematography. It's a funny filmclassic Woody Allenthough the gangster brother subplot scenes are a bit out of place. Bobby could become a successful nightclub owner without the conceit of fronting for Ben. Otherwise, I like it and it fits in well with Woody's other 1920s/30s movies like Radio Days, Bullets over Manhattan, The Purple Rose of Cairo.

I actually think that the way the Ben subplot was used was masterful by Woody. :) He (Ben) didn't really have much to do with the main storyline, but in the end his drama of being caught and convicted, and eventually him becoming a christian was what turned the tone of the film in a direction that is so peculiar of Woody (all that talk about judaism vs christianity, death, etc,). Also, that was what made Phil getting involved in the family affairs, which was odd if you look at how he had related to the family up until that point. But that's why it was funny. :) I believe that Ben being an out of place character for most of the movie, but eventually events happening to him becoming a major turning point in everyone else's life was totally intentional from Woody.

Only Woody can romanticize and glorify affairs, but they never have a happy, storybook ending in his films. I like that. Life isn't always a happily ever after for many people.

My 6 was being generous. Weak weak movie.

~~the coins in the jar are for charity,~~
~~the coins in the tray are for sharing~~

I think it's a fair rating, I gave it a 7, and overall (especially with the last 20 minutes) I really liked it. But it's not as good as Blue Jasmine, Husbands and Wives or Match Point which I rated 8.

6 for me, and I Allens BIG FAN!! :(

Oscar
Hablo mejor espaol :)

It's down to 6.8 now. I gave it 8/10. The direction and writing are stronger than the performances, but this is one of Woody Allen's better recent films.

I like many Woody Allen movies but I really didn't like this one. When the ending came I really hated it. Maybe I was just in a bad mood or something but the movie did absolutely nothing for me. I gave it a 5.

7.1 is about right, IMHO..most of Woody's movies in the last 20 years have hovered around the middle-to-above-average range, with some obvious exceptions. I love it any time a new Woody film comes out, and will happily see what he's up to each year, but I don't expect much except a mildly amusing entertainment. Gone are the days of "Crimes and Misdemeanors". His movies these days are rather shrug-your-shoulders amusing and mild - not bad by any means, but definitely not masterpieces.

Please nest your IMDB page, and respond to the correct person -

I agree on the 7-ish.
I gave it an extra star (8) just because of the Vince Giordano on the ST