Café Society

Director: Woody Allen

Writer: Woody Allen

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell

Strength: Cast, Direction

Weakness: Story

Runtime: 96min    

Rating: 3.5/5

PLOT: A young Bronx native falls in love with the secretary of his powerful uncle and eventually reconnects with the girl in New York City, where he owns a vibrant high society nightclub.

REVIEW: The movie starts off with smooth introductions to the various characters, with the quintessential 1930s jazz music resonating in the backdrop. This story, from the very beginning was adamant about telling an unrequited love story, which would eventually turn into a heartbroken attempt to shift the focus onto building an empire of social nightclub. The build-up till the end was very immersive, which was finished off with an ambiguous conclusion, making the experience of the film somewhat ironically vague. The script was destined to be very simple, which is slightly disappointing since the movie could have been much better had there been a somewhat intertwining storyline. 

The cast chosen in the film were wonderful. The likes of Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Steve Carell unmistakably provides for the movie. Each character was given a unique personality with exceptional virtue and imperfection, which were tailored by the stars to fit perfectly.   

The direction was done exceptionally by Woody Allen, turning a very simple script into an engaging tale of life. The set was designed very well to seem like a very close replica of the 1930s setting. The shots taken in LA and New York were rich and filled with authentication. 

On the whole, the movie is a great narration to witness, but perhaps the simple story may be a bit tedious for some. With great background scores and engaging characters, the movie is a must-watch for people of all ages, especially for those who enjoy retrospective backdrops.  

Reviewed by Syed Ahnaf Sadeed