Cafe Society

As with all of Woody Allen films, "Café Society" is rife with deprecating, dry 'New York edge' humor that only Allen can convey in that way he does. When he stars in his own films, he, himself, is self-deprecating, so when he doesn't star in one of his films, someone else has to pick up the baton and carry it.

A New Yorker named Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) moves to Hollywood in the 1930's and ends up working for his uncle Phil (Steve Carell), a powerful and well-connected film agent. Bobby's mom, Rose (Jeannie Berlin) calls her brother Phil Stern to ask if he can help Bobby with some sort of employment, so Phil reluctantly agrees. Subsequently Bobby soon falls for Phil's secretary Vonnie (Kristin Stewart), unaware that she's secretly having an affair with his uncle. In time, a disillusioned Bobby returns home to run a nightclub for his gangster brother, Ben (Corey Stoll) unbeknownst to Bobby fully that Ben is this tough gangster. Is Bobby able to meld in with his new responsibilities of his job along with being married once he got back to New York to Veronica (Blake Lively) and still keep his head above water?

Others to round out the cast are Ken Stott as Marty Dorfman, Bobby's dad, Sari Lennick as Evelyn, Bobby's sister, Stephen Kunken as Leonard, Sheryl Lee as Karen Stern, Phil's wife, Paul Schneider as Steve, Parker Posey as Rad Taylor and Anna Camp as Candy. 

This was written and directed by Woody Allen ("What's New Pussycat?" '65, "Take the Money and Run" '69, "Don't Drink the Water" '69, "Bananas" '71, "Sleeper" '73, "Annie Hall" '77, "Hannah and Her Sisters" '86, "Crimes and Misdemeanors" '89, "Deconstructing Harry" '97, "Small Time Crooks" 2000, "Hollywood Ending" '02, "Match Point" '05, "Whatever Works" '09, "Midnight in Paris" '11, "Blue Jasmine" '13, "Magic in the Moonlight" '14) plus many others and TV. Allen's trademark brand of comedy has evolved through the decades, with the exception of his deprecating type of humor. He's gone from wacky comedy to more sophisticated, dry type of humor. As mentioned above, even when he doesn't star in his films, a deprecating essence still carries in his films, Eisenberg being the one in this film that must carry that baton of self-deprecation. As a side note, when, not if, when a biopic of Allen's life is being made, probably after his death or retirement, Eisenberg would be perfect casting as a young Woody Allen. Allen's style is certainly not for everyone, but I believe he doesn't shoot for the mass audience appeal--probably never got into that mindset. I can definitely respect and appreciate this concept, because I've not loved all his films, because they can have a oddity about them that's difficult to hold on to. If you Netflix or rent, "Take the Money and Run", "Small Time Crooks" and "Midnight in Paris" these are probably some of his best film (funny wise).

If you are an ardent Allen fan, this will simply be another notch on that movie going experience, however, if one is not expressly familiar with a lot of Allen's work, you might want to start with one of his funnier films, because although this has funny moments and lines, it's not quite as funny as I was hoping it would be, even though it is well written and directed.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                Rated: PG-13                            96mins.