CAFÉ SOCIETY

US, 2016, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jesse Eisenberg, Kristin Stewart, Steve Carell, Blake Lively, Jeannie Berlin, Ken Stott, Corey Stoll, Anna Camp, Parker Posey, Paul Schneider, Richard Portnow, Sari Lanick, Stephen Kunken. Narrated by Woody Allen.
Directed by Woody Allen.

Woody Allen at 80. For decades now, with a film a year, sometimes serious, sometimes lighter than light. Café Society is somewhere in between. It is set in the 1930s, the first half in Los Angeles and Hollywood, the second half in New York City. It is not hard to see where Woody Allen’s sympathies lie, definitely not in Hollywood, with some satire at its expense, some rather sharp dialogue barbs, some delight in the moviemaking, but a critique of the moviemakers. Woody Allen is far more at home in New York.

Jesse Eisenberg plays the newest incarnation of the Woody Allen screen character – and this character as well as the story must have appealed to Allen himself strongly, not only writing and directing the film but actually providing the narrative voice-over throughout.

Eisenberg plays Bobby, coming out to Los Angeles looking for work, with a recommendation to have an interview with his top-producer uncle, played by Steve Carrell. The producer is forever busy but he finally gets his nephew some menial, post-sorting, delivery jobs. But the best thing for Bobby is his encounter with his uncle’s assistant, Vonnie, played by Kristin Stewart in one of her best roles. Bobby is in love, Vonnie seems to reciprocate but explains that she does have a boyfriend. It is the revelations about the identity of the boyfriend, and Bobby having to deal with his uncle, that is the central emotional core of the first part of the film.

In the meantime, there is plenty of glitz and glamour, parties interrupted by phone calls, lots of references to movie stars, MGM, casting, budgets, deals…

And then the film transfers to New York, Bobby going home, getting a new job and his character seeming transformed from the shy and bumbling type to the friendly and lively host at his brother’s nightclub, welcoming everyone, friend of everyone, genial, charming. The background is that his brother is a gangster, getting rid of opponents, having a plot overlooking the river where he can deposit corpses and pour concrete over them.

Allen toys with Jewish and religious themes with the character of the brother, brought up by a very strict Jewish mother (Jeannie Berlin) and a critical father (Ken Stott) who is forever critical of his wife’s brother, the non-religious producer in LA. There is a discussion about the afterlife, the Jews not believing in an afterlife, which gets to the son in prison who takes instruction from a priest, because he really wants there to be an afterlife.

In the meantime, the screenplay slips over some time spans with Bobby meeting glamorous socialite, Veronica, Blake Lively, then marrying her and having a daughter. The complication is that Bobby still has quite a flaming torch for Vonnie, tantalising him when she visits New York, when he visits LA with the possibilities of opening a night club there.

All in all, Café Society is emotionally serious, with some Woody Allen one-liners, of course, and some satire at the expense of Hollywood film making – but with the audience leaving the cinema more on the serious side, with long close-ups of Bobby and of Vonnie, a final close-up the back of Bobby’s head, his wondering about his life, our wondering about his life.

1. Woody Allen’s annual film? Light? Serious?

2. The 1930s, the look, costumes and decor? Hollywood, offices, parties, clubs, ordinary parts of the city? The contrast with New York, apartments, clubs, the world of gangsters, prison? The Jewish background?

3. The musical score, the range of songs, from the period, the overtones, composers, musicals and movies?

4. Bobby Dorfman as the Woody Allen persona? Woody Allen actually narrating the film, his involvement in the story, character? Jesse Eisenberg and his look, manner, way of speaking, hesitant? From New York, the glimpses of his parents, the dominant Jewish mother, his father, discussions about Jews? His brother’s criminal work? Being sent to Phil in Los Angeles, the father’s criticism of Phil as not a good Jew? Bobby’s hopes, manner, waiting to see his uncle, his uncle being busy, eventually returning? His brother setting up the call girl, coming to the hotel, late, the comedy, too tired for the sex and conversation, the issue of money, her eagerness for a career, his agreement?

5. Phil, his type, busy, wife of 25 years, on the phone, the deals? Giving Bobby delivery jobs? The introduction to Vonnie, the audience discovering his relationship with her, his worry, the meetings with Vonnie, whether to leave his wife or not, the decision not? The socials, his wife, welcoming Bobby? His talking with Bobby, the decision to leave his wife? The impact on Bobby?

6. Bobby and Vonnie, at work, Vonnie looking after him, taking him out, showing him the city, the ride to see the mansions in Beverly Hills? The mansions of the stars? Their comments about celebrities, pretensions, the pressure on stars in the public eye? Vonnie and her talk about her boyfriend? The dates, the restaurant and the meal, Bobby and his devotion? The meal at home, Vonnie not turning up, arriving late, upset, her talk about her relationship with the married man? The revelation of the truth, Vonnie and decision to stay with Phil? The effect on Bobby?

7. Rad and her husband, from New York, their background, friends and associates, life in Los Angeles, back in New York, the support, of Bobby as a person? His club? Their connections?

8. The Hollywood story, the dialogue by Woody Allen – and the barbs and satire?

9. New York, the narration, time passing more quickly? The club, Bobby as the host, his changing personality, meeting everyone, sociable, the clients? His brother, his parents’ reaction, the visits and the meals? Meeting Veronika, her style, charm, going out on the town with Bobby, no kiss, but the relationship, leading to marriage, her pregnancy, the birth of their daughter? Audience response to Veronika and comparisons with the Vonnie?

10. Bobby’s brother, criminal activity, showing the confrontations, the violence, the killings, the deals, collecting money? Bearing the bodies in the plot, the cement?

11. The episode with Evelyn and her husband? The background, relationship, his socialist philosophies and observations? The annoying neighbour and the radio, Evelyn and her talking to Ben, his confronting the security guard, the murder? His arrest and Evelyn’s moral dilemma about her talking with Ben and the man’s disappearance?

12. The lawyer warning Bobby, the deaths, the police arresting him, digging up the cement plot, the trial, his brother going to prison, his mother in denial? The comic and serious touch with the brother, the priest and his advice, the Bible, his wanting there to be an afterlife? His execution?

13. Woody Allen and the Jewish background, culture, customs, the mother and her prayers, the issue of religion, Christianity, belief in the afterlife?

14. Bobby and his life, Phil and Vonnie arriving in New York, sitting with them, the chatter, the international trips, the people, the gossip about film stars, Vonnie completely the opposite of what she earlier professed? Bobby upset? Their meeting, going out, ordinary talk, the effect on Bobby? His going to Los Angeles, the possibilities for a club, meeting Vonnie, her meal? And the decision about fidelity?

15. The final close-up of her face giving the audience time to reflect? The focus on his face? The final scene on the back of his head?

16. Woody Allen and the release of the film when he was 80?