Café de Flore (film)

Plot

The film cuts between two stories: one in present-day Montreal follows Antoine, a club DJ torn between his new girlfriend Rose and his ex-wife Carole; the other, set in 1960s Paris, follows Jacqueline, the mother of Laurent, a child with Down syndrome who has a crush on Véronique. After Jacqueline, Laurent, and Véronique die in a car accident, Carole, Antoine, and Rose are revealed as their reincarnations.

Production

Filmed across Montreal and Paris between August and November 2010, Café de Flore includes a scene shot on Boulevard Saint-Germain right outside the namesake café. Its soundtrack blends genres with tracks from the Cure, Sigur Ros, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Pink Floyd, mixing modern electronic and avant-garde sounds with orchestral elements to bridge the film’s two timelines.

The title comes from Matthew Herbert’s 2000 electronic song “Café de Flore,” which appears throughout to underscore key themes. Two a capella versions are featured: Florent and Parent singing the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” and Paradis, Brochu, and Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont Royal covering Herbert’s track. Director Vallée had wanted Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” but Robert Plant refused permission.

Reception

Critics in Canada responded warmly to Café de Flore. Alsegul Koc of CineAction called the film “the aftershocks of an amorous earthquake,” noting it explores both the pain and joy of moving on more deeply than typical love stories.

Guy Dixon at The Globe and Mail awarded it 3.5 out of 4 stars, praising it as “beautiful” and “intricate,” and singled out Florent’s performance for tying the two narratives together. Time’s Mary Corliss described both Florent and Paradis as “luminous,” and admired director Jean-Marc Vallée’s unconventional style, writing that the film’s confidence makes its risky leaps feel like “walking on air in a beautiful dream.” Jay Stone of Postmedia News gave it four out of five stars, calling Vallée a “visual storyteller” who builds montages around emotional color. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a score based on reviews from critics, with an average rating.

Did You Know?

• Emmanuelle Beaugrand-Champagne plays a medium who helps Carole understand her recurring dreams as memories from a past life.
• The film features an a capella rendition of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" performed by Florent and Parent.
• Vallée had originally planned to use Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" but Robert Plant denied permission.