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Café Lumiere (2004)

Café Lumiere (2004)
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A freelance writer living in Tokyo defies social taboo by choosing life as a single mother in director Hou Hsiao-Hsien's meditative tribute to acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. When Yoko announces that she is pregnant and has no intentions of marrying the father of her child, her traditional family is outraged. Though the headstrong decision made by the young mother-to-be leaves her finding little sympathy from within her family circle, a blossoming friendship with the owner of a local second-hand bookstore goes a long way in alleviating Yoko's feelings of loneliness. As Yoko begins to re-evaluate her increasingly complicated life, her newfound friend silently pines for her despite his frustrating inability to vocalize his true feelings. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Yo Hitoto, Tadanobu Asano, (more)
Director(s):
Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Café Lumiere

A freelance writer living in Tokyo defies social taboo by choosing life as a single mother in director Hou Hsiao-Hsien's meditative tribute to acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. When Yoko announces that she is pregnant and has no intentions of marrying the father of her child, her traditional family is outraged. Though the headstrong decision made by the young mother-to-be leaves her finding little sympathy from within her family circle, a blossoming friendship with the owner of a local second-hand bookstore goes a long way in alleviating Yoko's feelings of loneliness. As Yoko begins to re-evaluate her increasingly complicated life, her newfound friend silently pines for her despite his frustrating inability to vocalize his true feelings. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
104 mins

Complete Cast of Café Lumiere


Director(s):
Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Writer(s):
Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Chu Tien-wen
Producer(s):
Liao Ching-song, Fumiko Osaka, Ichiro Yamamoto
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    Member Reviews
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    James V.

    Indolent and deliberately so, CAFÉ LUMIERE may take some getting used to. There is almost no exposition; you learn about the lead character in halting stops and starts, many of which take place on and around trains. Even then, you've learned damn little. Trains are key, and by the end you may be, as I was, transfixed with their constant motion and repetitive sound. Plot is as close to nonexistent as possible: you discover one piece of news about the lead character, then see how her parents react to it. That's it. But throughout, life in a present-day Asian city is lived, and you follow along, hypnotized. This is the first film by critics' darling Hsiao-hsien Hou that I can honestly say I've enjoyed. It’s not mainstream, but if you like watching life's parade (or are taken with trains), go for it. The ending is so beautiful--a quiet dazzle of weaving motion astride a river--that I had to watch it over and over again. The framing here is perfection, and the concluding music nearly so.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Suzanne K.

    Very beautiful and moving film. Wonderful cinematography and story line.

    Yes   |   No

     
    April E.

    The individual who deemed the movie 'pointless’ just did not comprehend Hou Hsiao-Hsien's goal. He is a director known for showing the simple pleasures and beauties in everyday life, not going for outlandish plots, but visualizing everyday life. I personally enjoy such films, they are a nice change of pace from the mainstream. If you appreciate foreign films, and more specifically, films that take a slower pace and simply unveil the life of its protagonists, this film is for you, I truly did enjoy it!

    Yes   |   No

     
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