secondtake Cafe (2011)A simple seeming story with a couple of otherworldly (computer reality) twists that gradually works on your sympathies and wins.Except for a brief exterior giving the sense of place (West Philadelphia) and two or three other very minor exceptions, the entire movie is shot in a coffee shop. A surprisingly large cast of characters take on some significance. And the dreamy idealism of exactly those kinds of independent cafés permeates the movie. The ostensible driving force is the appearance now and then of a nasty guy who deals drugs and the reaction against him by others in the place and the police. But really the movie is more about character, and what makes character, and what makes some people good and whether that kind of goodness is real.After awhile you also realize that one weird subplot--the appearance of a girl on a computer scree--is maybe the most important aspect of all. Because she helps redefine what reality is--not just the so-called reality of people's lives, but reality reality, ontologically. It's obviously too much to swallow, but just go with it, it's fun.What holds it up most of all might just be the really solid acting from most of the main characters. And the sweetness the seems to permeate the movie through and through. It's low-budget but keeps it confident and well made anyway. It's a good excuse for hanging out with some nice people.

JenEvans1 Was expecting this to be something a little different, and it was.But not necessarily in a good way. The characters in this were all quite interesting so I stayed with it even though I was not really taken with the plot (what there was of it). To be honest, the whole thing was more like a play than a movie and, like many a play, it focused on lots of characters so there was no real depth to any of them.The idea of all of them being parts of a computer program invented by a young girl was interesting but sadly it was never believable. And I am sorry to say that the ending was dire. First we had JLH dead, then we had the 'Oh its OK now, none of it has happened and lets all forget about it' scenario. I felt cheated by this.And a big cheer for Uncle Tantra, who suggested that the guy in the corner was writing the script for this. I could go along with this if the guy had looked even more brain dead.Still, I did watch it and I didn't hate it (much) until the end. So I'm giving this one four for effort (and believe me that's generous).

wollbratt Yes, it is different than most flicks out there...why? Because it deals with the meaning of life, choices and so on.. but what else? That is it. Played out in an environment that can deal with different characters, which stayed in a café that supposedly should be unique in a certain way, but it has been carried out plenty of times before in motion pictures. In what way would I describe this movie? ..absolutely pointless. Why I give it 3 stars is that it has a steady line, and do not completely go awry as other movies might do when trying to deal with heavy stuff like this...BUT. How the movie ends! Is absolutely heinous. How should you deal with what the "little girl" says; to have the revelation that the fat guy has? Is consciously committing suicide the way to bring enlightenment? By saying consciously, I mean by rationally choosing to end your life, for something greater than yourself and thereby as the flick depicts give you enlightenment ? Its absolutely nonsense how it is explained. Yes, I get that it might trying to say that by giving up the ego and the illusion that you are not one separate thing and everything is instead expressions of the same thing. But hey, common ! When the girl is explaining by the table about why she programmed the program, made it tiny bit interesting, that expressions in this world is all the same, anger, joy, sadness, happiness and so on, and by making this world, the parts should finally come into a revelation that everything is just an interpretation of the same thing. And by doing just that, would lead to something that never could have existed without the split up from oneness. It is just about we interpret the things we realize as reality and put it into categories. But when the heavy subject of the bad things that happen in this world is explained, it totally goes shallow and tease you with the stupidity. What does it have to do with the guy consciously choosing to give up his life, have anything to do with the subject that is the main punch of this movie. Still it shows up as the punch line. To sum this up into a few lines.. For me, this movie just adds abit interesting thoughts to play, in a controlled setting, but totally misses to follow the depth of the subject and explanations thereafter as in a Disney movie. And ending with a "what the f€%k" feeling. Is it trying to indulge suicide as a mean to self realization ?

tasteinbach I've never written a review before and maybe I shouldn't. I've started so no turning back now. Did one person write the story line(s) or a group? I say this because nothing flowed. I watched the movie out of bored curiosity to pass time. I would not recommend this movie to anyone else. Why? Well, Because the whole view of Christianity is incorrect. Entirely misunderstood. The description of the movie, on Netflix, states "Claire serves wisdom along with the coffee and scones." definitely not true. She only serves coffee, no wisdom. The only character who slightly hints at giving out wisdom is Ellie, even though her so called wisdom isn't wisdom at all. The movie did pass the time, but I was in awe that it was even put out in the market for the public to purchase. Just shows it is who you know, not what you know that moves our world.