Café Society

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Café Society

PG-13

Released Jul 29, 2016

1h 36m

Romance

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

71%

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256 Reviews

56%

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10,000+ Ratings

Looking for an exciting career, young Bobby Dorfman leaves New York for the glitz and glamour of 1930s Hollywood. After landing a job with his uncle, Bobby falls for Vonnie, a charming woman who happens to be his employer's mistress. Settling for friendship but ultimately heartbroken, Bobby returns to the Bronx and begins working in a nightclub. Everything falls into place when he finds romance with a beautiful socialite, until Vonnie walks back into his life and captures his heart once again.

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Critics Consensus

Café Society's lovely visuals and charming performances round out a lightweight late-period Allen comedy whose genuine pleasures offset its amiable predictability.

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Claudia Puig

The Asahi Shimbun GLOBE (Japan)

Cafe Society aims to be light and frothy, but feels more like a stale cream puff. It looks enticing, but lacks anything fresh or substantial. [Full review in Japanese]

Rated: 2/4

Jul 31, 2017

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

It's uneven, it's empty, and it's redundant.

Rated: C-

Mar 21, 2017

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

It's as if Allen has decided that near enough is good enough. He's famous for making a movie a year; after so many great films, that may now be too often.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 21, 2016

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Denise Pieniazek

Puesta en Escena (AR)

Café Society, written and directed by Woody Allen, proposes a nostalgic trip to the United States of the 30s embedded in jazz and classic cinema. However, the story will be much more than that, it will also remind us of the uniqueness of the first love.

Rated: 7/10

Jan 12, 2024

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Perhaps “Café Society” strolls at its own pace and perhaps Woody Allen is in cruise control with his latter films. Still I had a lot of fun with this one.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 19, 2022

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Café Society, more than any Allen film in recent memory, feels like a jumbled hodgepodge of ideas.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 11, 2022

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maria k

The chemistry between the central characters is non-existent. Eisenberg and Stewart are unbelievable as a couple still pining for each other after marrying other partners. The set design, music and costuming saves this movie from being a total stinker. I think I’ll rewatch Midnight in Paris and forget about the last two hours I spent watching this disappointment.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

10/15/24

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G S

It's worth a watch if you're a Woody Allen fan, otherwise I'd skip it. Jesse Eisenberg's performance is clearly an impression of a young Woody Allen and he does a fantastic job of it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/25/24

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Bahad j

I really liked the characters and actions of the actors

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/17/24

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matthias s

"Café Society," directed by Woody Allen, is a visual treat that transports audiences to the glamorous 1930s. The movie excels in its stunning aesthetics and meticulous world-building. Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro captures the era beautifully, from the dazzling lights of Hollywood to the sophisticated charm of New York's high society. The costumes and sets are equally impressive, immersing viewers in a bygone world of elegance and style. The cast delivers solid performances, with Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart leading the way. They bring a certain charm to their roles, making their characters engaging despite the film's shortcomings. However, "Café Society" falters in its storytelling. The plot meanders without much direction, leaving little impact. The dialogue, while occasionally witty, often feels flat and uninspired. While the film is undeniably gorgeous to look at, it ultimately lacks the substance needed to make it truly memorable. A beautiful, but ultimately shallow, cinematic experience.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/24/24

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Dinos K

Woody Allen was great at 60s and 70s but now he just repeats the same plot over and over again

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

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Alec B

Allen's retreading well worn territory here but at least he's doing so with a little more verve than we've seen from him recently.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/14/23

Full Review

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Woody Allen

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Jesse Eisenberg

Bobby

Kristen Stewart

Vonnie

Steve Carell

Aaron

Blake Lively

Veronica

Corey Stoll

Ben

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Synopsis

Looking for an exciting career, young Bobby Dorfman leaves New York for the glitz and glamour of 1930s Hollywood. After landing a job with his uncle, Bobby falls for Vonnie, a charming woman who happens to be his employer's mistress. Settling for friendship but ultimately heartbroken, Bobby returns to the Bronx and begins working in a nightclub. Everything falls into place when he finds romance with a beautiful socialite, until Vonnie walks back into his life and captures his heart once again.

Director: Woody Allen
Producer: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, Edward Walson
Screenwriter: Woody Allen
Distributor: Amazon Studios, Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Perdido Productions, FilmNation Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Smoking|A Drug Reference|Some Violence|Suggestive Material)
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 29, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.1M
Runtime: 1h 36m

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