Café Society (2016 film)

Bobby Dorfman is the youngest son of a Jewish family in New York City in the 1930s. His elder sister Evelyn is a married school teacher, while his elder brother Ben is a gangster. Discontented with working for his father, a jeweler, Bobby decides to move to Hollywood, where he takes a job running menial errands for his uncle Phil, a powerhouse talent agent.

Phil introduces Bobby to his secretary Veronica, nicknamed Vonnie, who is tasked with helping Bobby settle into Hollywood. Bobby is drawn to her unpretentiousness as opposed to most young women living in Hollywood, and falls deeply in love with her. She rebuffs his advances, telling him she has a journalist boyfriend named Doug. In reality, "Doug" is Phil, with whom Vonnie is carrying on an illicit romance; he promises to divorce his wife and marry her.

On the first-year "paper anniversary" of their affair, Vonnie gives Phil a letter written and signed by Rudolph Valentino as a gift. However, Phil proceeds to tell her that he is incapable of divorcing his wife, so he ends the affair. Vonnie subsequently surrenders to Bobby's love for her and their friendship turns into a romance.

A forlorn Phil confides in Bobby about his affair—without naming his mistress—before telling him that he is determined to divorce his wife. Bobby passingly mentions his relationship with Vonnie and his intention to marry her and return to New York. Phil begins petitioning Vonnie privately to leave Bobby and marry him instead.

While having a conversation with Phil in his office, Bobby notices the Valentino letter. Recognizing it from Vonnie's account on her breakup with "Doug", he confronts her and asks her to choose between himself and Phil. Vonnie chooses Phil. A heartbroken Bobby returns to New York City where he begins to run a high-end nightclub with his gangster brother, Ben. It soon becomes a famous hangout for the rich and powerful, from politicians to gangsters. Bobby meets divorcée Veronica Hayes at the nightclub, and they begin dating, soon getting married.

On an extended visit to New York, a happily married Phil and Vonnie stop at the nightclub and insist on seeing Bobby. Vonnie has become a pretentious name-dropper and Bobby is at first repulsed by her. However, he agrees to show her around New York—as she had once done for him in Hollywood. They spend an evening without Phil, visiting Bobby's favorite haunts and, as dawn breaks over Central Park, share a kiss; but it is clear that it can go no further.

Bobby's sister Evelyn asks their brother, Ben, to "talk to" her disagreeable neighbor; Ben promptly kills him. He is arrested and convicted of murder and racketeering. Shortly before he goes to the electric chair, he converts to Christianity, mortifying his parents. His late brother's notoriety propels the nightclub to new heights, and Bobby travels to Los Angeles to contemplate opening a Hollywood version. He ultimately decides against it, but before he leaves, he and Vonnie have lunch together, where she mentions that she and Phil will be returning to New York for a short visit. However, they both agree to avoid seeing each other.

Months later, on New Year's Eve, a pregnant Veronica asks Bobby if he has ever cheated on her, saying she had a dream in which he slept with Vonnie while he was in Hollywood, but he denies it. Bobby is in New York City hosting festivities in his nightclub, while Vonnie is with Phil at a Hollywood house party. As the new year is rung in, they both seem distant to their spouses, and both have a faraway look in their eyes.

{{cast listing|

• Jesse Eisenberg as Bobby Dorfman
• Kristen Stewart as Veronica "Vonnie" Sybil
• Steve Carell as Phil Stern
• Blake Lively as Veronica Hayes
• Parker Posey as Rad Taylor
• Corey Stoll as Ben Dorfman
• Jeannie Berlin as Rose Dorfman
• Ken Stott as Marty Dorfman
• Anna Camp as Candy
• Paul Schneider as Steve
• Sheryl Lee as Karen Stern
• Tony Sirico as Vito
• Stephen Kunken as Leonard
• Sari Lennick as Evelyn Dorfman
• Laurel Griggs as Evelyn Dorfman's daughter
• Max Adler as Walt
• Don Stark as Sol
• Gregg Binkley as Mike
• Anthony DiMaria as Howard Fox
• Woody Allen (uncredited) as Narrator (voice) {{cite news |first=Stephen |last=Galloway |date=May 4, 2016 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/woody-allen-interview-he-wont-889678 |title=The Woody Allen Interview (Which He Won't Read) |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=May 4, 2016 |archive-date=May 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506034902/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/woody-allen-interview-he-wont-889678 |url-status=live}}

}}

By March 9, 2015, Jesse Eisenberg, Bruce Willis and Kristen Stewart were added to the cast of the Woody Allen film, which was produced by Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum and Edward Walson.{{cite news|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|title=Jesse Eisenberg, Bruce Willis, Kristen Stewart To Star in Next Woody Allen Pic|url=https://deadline.com/2015/03/jesse-eisenberg-bruce-willis-kristen-stewart-woody-allen-1201388945/|access-date=July 25, 2015|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=March 9, 2015| archive-date= August 14, 2015| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150814023515/http://deadline.com/2015/03/jesse-eisenberg-bruce-willis-kristen-stewart-woody-allen-1201388945/ | url-status=live}} On May 6, 2015, Blake Lively was cast,{{cite news|last=Emery|first=Debbie|title=Blake Lively Joins Cast of Woody Allen's Next Film|url=https://www.thewrap.com/blake-lively-set-to-join-cast-of-woody-allens-next-film/|access-date=July 25, 2015|publisher=TheWrap.com|date=May 6, 2015 | archive-date= July 26, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726201547/http://www.thewrap.com/blake-lively-set-to-join-cast-of-woody-allens-next-film/ | url-status=live}} followed by Parker Posey in mid-July.{{cite news|last1=Busch|first1=Anita|last2=Fleming Jr|first2=Mike|title=Parker Posey To Reteam With Woody Allen on Next Film|url=https://deadline.com/2015/07/parker-posey-reteam-with-woody-allen-on-next-untitled-film-1201477649/|access-date=July 25, 2015|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 16, 2015 | archive-date = August 9, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809233427/http://deadline.com/2015/07/parker-posey-reteam-with-woody-allen-on-next-untitled-film-1201477649/ | url-status=live}} By August 4, 2015, more cast was added, including Jeannie Berlin, Corey Stoll and Ken Stott, along with Anna Camp, Stephen Kunken, Sari Lennick and Paul Schneider.{{cite news|last=Siegel|first=Tatiana|title=Woody Allen Announces Cast for New Film|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/woody-allen-new-film-cast-813011|access-date=August 5, 2015|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=August 4, 2015 | archive-date=August 22, 2015 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150822202353/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/woody-allen-new-film-cast-813011| url-status=live}} In August, Tony Sirico was cast{{cite news|last=Pedersen|first=Erik|title=Tony Sirico Joins Woody Allen's Latest; Meagen Fay Tunes Up For 'La La Land'|url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/tony-sirico-joins-woody-allenmovie-meagen-fay-cast-in-la-la-land-1201496699/|access-date=August 11, 2015 | publisher = Deadline Hollywood|date=August 10, 2015 | archive-date=August 11, 2015 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150811182456/http://deadline.com/2015/08/tony-sirico-joins-woody-allenmovie-meagen-fay-cast-in-la-la-land-1201496699/| url-status=live}} and Max Adler had also joined the cast.{{cite news|last=A. Lincoln|first=Ross|title=Max Adler Powers Up For 'Gods & Secrets', 'This Is Happening' Gets Theatrical Release|url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/max-adler-woody-allen-gods-and-secrets-this-is-happening-1201498069/|access-date=August 16, 2015|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=August 12, 2015 | archive-date=August 17, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150817110213/http://deadline.com/2015/08/max-adler-woody-allen-gods-and-secrets-this-is-happening-1201498069/ | url-status=live}} Vittorio Storaro is the cinematographer.{{cite news|title=Kristen Stewart Photos from the Set of the New Woody Allen Film|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/474971-kristen-stewart-photos-from-the-set-of-the-new-woody-allen-film|access-date=August 22, 2015|publisher=ComingSoon.net|date=August 22, 2015| archive-date=August 22, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822202812/http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/474971-kristen-stewart-photos-from-the-set-of-the-new-woody-allen-film#/slide/1 | url-status=live}}

On August 24, 2015, it was reported that Willis had exited the film due to his scheduling conflicts with the Broadway stage adaptation of the Stephen King novel Misery.{{cite news|last1=Fleming|first1=Mike Jr.|title=Bruce Willis Drops Out of Woody Allen's Movie: Broadway 'Misery' Schedule To Blame|url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/bruce-willis-woody-allen-exits-cast-misery-broadway-1201505117/|access-date=August 26, 2015|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=August 24, 2015|archive-date=August 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150826124956/http://deadline.com/2015/08/bruce-willis-woody-allen-exits-cast-misery-broadway-1201505117/|url-status=live}} On August 28, 2015, Steve Carell was cast to replace Willis.{{cite news|last1=Jaafar|first1=Ali|last2=Hipes|first2=Patrick|title=Steve Carell Replacing Bruce Willis in Woody Allen Movie|url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/steve-carell-replaces-bruce-willis-woody-allen-movie-1201509364/|access-date=August 29, 2015|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=August 28, 2015|archive-date=August 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829040757/http://deadline.com/2015/08/steve-carell-replaces-bruce-willis-woody-allen-movie-1201509364/|url-status=live}} In March 2016, the title was confirmed as Café Society.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/sean-penn-woody-allen-jeff-nichols-movies-cannes-1201734020/|title=Sean Penn, Woody Allen, Jeff Nichols Films Set for Cannes Film Festival|publisher=Variety|first=Justin|last=Chang|date=March 18, 2016|access-date=March 19, 2016|archive-date=March 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319052744/http://variety.com/2016/film/news/sean-penn-woody-allen-jeff-nichols-movies-cannes-1201734020/|url-status=live}}

Principal photography on the film began on August 17, 2015, in and around Los Angeles.{{cite news|title=On the Set for 8/21/15: Eddie Redmayne Starts Fantastic Beasts, Russo Brothers Wrap Up Captain America: Civil War|url=http://www.ssninsider.com/on-the-set-for-82115-eddie-redmayne-starts-fantastic-beasts-russo-brothers-wrap-up-captain-america-civil-war/|access-date=August 22, 2015|publisher=SSNInsider.com (TSS News, LLC)|date=August 21, 2015|archive-date=August 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822203030/http://www.ssninsider.com/on-the-set-for-82115-eddie-redmayne-starts-fantastic-beasts-russo-brothers-wrap-up-captain-america-civil-war/|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} On September 8, 2015, filming moved to New York City, where it was shot in Brooklyn.{{cite news|title=The Woody Allen Summer Movie 2015 is filming in Brooklyn this week|url=http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/09/06/the-woody-allen-summer-movie-2015-is-filming-in-brooklyn-this-week/|access-date=September 9, 2015|publisher=OnLocationVacations.com|date=September 6, 2015|archive-date=September 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907045849/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/09/06/the-woody-allen-summer-movie-2015-is-filming-in-brooklyn-this-week/|url-status=live}} Allen moved to digital for the first time, using a Sony CineAlta F65 camera for this, his 47th film.{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2015/film/news/woody-allen-digital-camera-movie-1201612893/ |title= Woody Allen Turns to Digital Camera for Next Movie |publisher= Variety |first= Dave |last= McNary |date= October 7, 2015 |access-date= June 20, 2016 |archive-date= May 14, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160514155747/http://variety.com/2015/film/news/woody-allen-digital-camera-movie-1201612893/ |url-status= live}}

The film began with a budget of $18 million; however it went over budget, and by the end of production, its budget reached $30 million, making it one of the most expensive films of Allen's career.{{cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2016/05/cafe-society-8-things-woody-allen-and-kristen-stewart-revealed-about-the-film-at-cannes-290682/ |title='Café Society': 8 Things Woody Allen and Kristen Stewart Revealed About the Film at Cannes |work=IndieWire |date=May 12, 2016 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=December 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227110107/https://www.indiewire.com/2016/05/cafe-society-8-things-woody-allen-and-kristen-stewart-revealed-about-the-film-at-cannes-290682/ |url-status=live}}

File:Cannes 2016 1.jpg]]

In February 2016, Amazon Studios acquired distribution rights to the film.{{cite web |url= https://www.thewrap.com/woody-allens-new-movie-starring-kristen-stewart-blake-lively-sells-to-amazon/ |title= Woody Allen's New Movie Starring Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively Sells to Amazon |publisher= TheWrap.com |first= Jeff |last= Sneider |date= February 18, 2016 |access-date= February 18, 2016 |archive-date= February 21, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160221110053/http://www.thewrap.com/woody-allens-new-movie-starring-kristen-stewart-blake-lively-sells-to-amazon/ |url-status= live}} In March 2016, the film was selected to open the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The film also opened the Seattle International Film Festival, on May 19, 2016,{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2016/film/news/woody-allen-cafe-society-seattle-film-festival-1201758239/ |title= Woody Allen's 'Cafe Society' to Open Seattle Film Festival |publisher= Variety |first= Dave |last= McNary |date= April 21, 2016 |access-date= April 21, 2016 |archive-date= April 22, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160422024954/http://variety.com/2016/film/news/woody-allen-cafe-society-seattle-film-festival-1201758239/ |url-status= live}} and served as the closing night film of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/karlovy-vary-to-close-with-caf-society-honour-jean-reno/5106321.article|title=Karlovy Vary to close with 'Café Society', honour Jean Reno|website=Screen Daily|first=Natalie|last=Kolenko|date=June 29, 2016|access-date=July 23, 2016|archive-date=July 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721212512/http://www.screendaily.com/news/karlovy-vary-to-close-with-caf-society-honour-jean-reno/5106321.article|url-status=live}} It was announced that Lionsgate would team up with Amazon to release the film on August 12, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cinemacon-lionsgate-teaming-amazon-release-884117|title=CinemaCon: Lionsgate Teaming With Amazon to Release Woody Allen's 'Cafe Society'|author=Pamela McClintock|date=April 14, 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=April 17, 2016|archive-date=December 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201231004009/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cinemacon-lionsgate-teaming-amazon-release-884117|url-status=live}} It was then moved up to July 15, 2016, in a limited release, before the wide expansion will starting July 29 and the widely release on August 5.

Café Society grossed $11.1 million in the United States and Canada and $32.7 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $43.8 million.

The film was released in five theaters on July 15, 2016, and grossed $359,289 in its opening weekend, an average per-theater gross of $71,858, the biggest average of 2016 to that point (its record was broken the following week by Don't Think Twice{{'}}s $92,835 average).{{cite web |url=https://www.thewrap.com/woody-allen-cafe-society-breaks-record/ |title=Woody Allen's 'Cafe Society' Breaks Record in Limited Opening |work=TheWrap.com |date=July 17, 2016 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=September 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923201741/https://www.thewrap.com/woody-allen-cafe-society-breaks-record/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.thewrap.com/dramedy-dont-think-twice-bests-cafe-society-for-limited-opening-record/ |title=Dramedy 'Don't Think Twice' Bests 'Cafe Society' for Limited Opening Record |work=The Wrap |date=July 24, 2016 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=August 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815221440/http://www.thewrap.com/dramedy-dont-think-twice-bests-cafe-society-for-limited-opening-record/ |url-status=live}} The film had its wide release on July 29 and grossed $2.3 million, finishing 12th at the box office.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4211&p=.htm|title='Jason Bourne' Tops Weekend with $60M; 'Star Trek Beyond' Suffers Big Second Weekend Drop|author=Brad Brevet|work=Box Office Mojo|date=July 31, 2016|access-date=July 31, 2016|archive-date=August 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803103326/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4211&p=.htm|url-status=live}}

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 71% based on 258 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Café Society{{'}}s lovely visuals and charming performances round out a lightweight late-period Allen comedy whose genuine pleasures offset its amiable predictability."{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cafe_society_2016/ |title=Café Society (2016) |work=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=October 30, 2016 |archive-date=October 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028214157/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cafe_society_2016 |url-status=live}} On Metacritic, the film has a score of 64 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/cafe-society |title=Café Society reviews |work=Metacritic |access-date=July 29, 2016 |archive-date=July 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724205042/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/cafe-society |url-status=live}}

Writing for New York, David Edelstein gave the film a positive review, stating: "Cafe Society is a surprisingly graceful work. It's a young man's tale of woe rendered with an old man's aversion to dawdling over what can't be helped, over questions of human nature that have long been settled to everyone's dissatisfaction. The worldview is weary, and Allen narrates in a voice that, for the first time, suggests his 80 years of age. But his touch lightens with each film, and the melancholy bubbles up from below and catches you off guard."David Edelstein. "Woody Allen returns to Old Hollywood in Cafe Society." New York. July 11, 2016, p. 92. Owen Gleiberman of Variety gave the film a mixed review, writing, "Café Society leaves you dreaming of the movie it might have been had Woody Allen made it by doing what he's done in his best work: nudging himself out of his comfort zone."{{cite web |first=Owen |last=Gleiberman |authorlink=Owen Gleiberman|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/cafe-society-review-kristen-stewart-woody-allen-cannes-1201771214/ |title=Film Review: 'Café Society' |work=Variety |date=May 11, 2016|access-date=December 10, 2017 |archive-date=June 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619010005/http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/cafe-society-review-kristen-stewart-woody-allen-cannes-1201771214/ |url-status=live}}

Wendy Ide of The Guardian gave the film three stars out of five, commenting, "From the reassuring chug of Woody Allen's trademark trad jazz score to Jesse Eisenberg's disconcertingly accurate channeling of the director's jittery introspection, this handsome, nostalgia-sodden romance feels rather familiar. But just when you are about to dismiss the picture as pure cappuccino froth, the bittersweet bite kicks in. It's not in the same league as Allen's finest work, but nor is it a honking misfire like Magic in the Moonlight."{{cite web |last1=Ide |first1=Wendy |title=Café Society review – Woody Allen on nostalgic form |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/sep/04/cafe-society-woody-allen-review-hollywood-jesse-eisenberg-kirsten-stewart |website=The Guardian |access-date=2 April 2021 |date=4 September 2016 |archive-date=October 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006140323/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/sep/04/cafe-society-woody-allen-review-hollywood-jesse-eisenberg-kirsten-stewart |url-status=live}} Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter added, "Layered with a rich soundtrack of romantic tunes from the period, this is a familiar tale of love yearned for, gained, lost and savored after the fact. In other words, it's a format Allen has relied upon many times before, but even past the age of 80, the still-fertile writer-director, amazingly sticking to his one-film-per-year rhythm (not to mention his upcoming TV series, also with Amazon), has created a small fiction of amiable appeal and vibrancy which goes down as easily as a fizzy cocktail."{{cite web |last1=McCarthy |first1=Todd |title='Cafe Society': Cannes Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/cafe-society-cannes-review-892693 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2 April 2021 |date=11 May 2016 |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413074635/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/cafe-society-cannes-review-892693 |url-status=live}}

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