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Café Lumière

Play trailer Poster for Café Lumière 2003 1h 42m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A pregnant woman and her friend search for a cafe that is frequented by a composer whose life she is researching.
Café Lumière

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A poetic tribute to filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu, Café Lumiere is a serenely fascinating journey through Japan's changing cultural landscape.

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Critics Reviews

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Amy Taubin Film Comment Magazine Some 40 years after Ozu's death, the traditions that govern middle-class Japanese family life - the crux of his films - are even more frayed. Nov 19, 2013 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Michael Wilmington Chicago Tribune Both Hou and Ozu excel in evoking the poetry of everyday life, and, as a tribute from one great filmmaker to another, Cafe Lumiere should richly satisfy devotees of both artists. Rated: 3.5/4 Jan 19, 2006 Full Review David Walsh World Socialist Web Site The film is calm and quiet, but without the intensity (and element of protest) at its core that Hou's films once possessed. Feb 15, 2021 Full Review Tom Dawson The List There are conscious echoes here of Tokyo Story, yet this is very much Hsiao-Hsien's vision of what it's like to be young and adrift in a contemporary metropolis. Rated: 4/5 Apr 25, 2019 Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television Remarkable visual trip through Japan. Dec 4, 2016 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Hou Hsiao-Hsien's homage to Yasujiro Ozu is filled with beautiful quiet moments. The intense connection made by the two main characters is established in unique ways. A brilliant film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member I was lucky enough to be able to see one of Hou's films at the special screening 'The Films of Hsiao-hsien Hou' at AFI Silver Spring. This particular piece is a tribute to Ozu, who was known as a master of capturing and transferring 'everyday-domestic' life into captivating movies. For the storyline Hou uses Ozu's trademark inter generation conflict with careful observation on how different generation reacts to the issue. However, Hou has his own marks all over this film including how he evokes sympathy, humanity of the characters through use of gestures with minimal dialogue. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member Such a sublime watching experience. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Although essentially conceived as a tribute to Yasujiro Ozu, it's not necessary for one to know of that Japanese director's work in order to enjoy this film. Quiet, closely observed, and patient, Cafe Lumiere is a fine meditative offering from recent Japanese cinema. Decide for yourself if the storyline gives the right amount of payoff, though. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member One of Hsiao-hsien's brisker and more charming works, this one is more easily digestible while retaining his signature attention for details. It's a tribute that also serves as a reminder that even if Kurosawa was the bigger name internationally, Ozu was probably a bigger long-term influence for the Asian film powerhouses. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Japanese drama, though drama is the wrong word for such a lackadaisical plot. Plot is the wrong word too. Way too subtle for me. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Café Lumière

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Café Lumière

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Movie Info

Synopsis A pregnant woman and her friend search for a cafe that is frequented by a composer whose life she is researching.
Director
Hsiao-hsien Hou
Screenwriter
Hsiao-hsien Hou, T'ien-wen Chu
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (DVD)
Dec 27, 2005
Runtime
1h 42m