John Raymond Peterson The storyline sort of implies this is a drama and romance with comedy. The humour is exactly the kind you expect and are please to hear and see, but it is not comical per say, just cleverly witty. The drama is not melodramatic, it's serious life subject the movie at some point introduces as part of a clever leitmotif. As for the romance is qualifies but barely, however it is enjoyable. I encourage all to read the full IMDb Storyline; it is spot on. Ratings are quite good and I will not affect that outcome up or down.Two actors that play the male and female lead, Bill Nighy and Kelly Macdonald are in splendid form and deliver the perfect performance for their respective characters. Kelly Macdonald could be reciting names from the phone book and I'd find ways to praise it, I so like to hear her speak. One thing about Nighy I need to get off my chest; as I've seen most of his last dozen or so performances and noticed a physical anomaly or very bad habit. His middle fingers, either hand, are always in a state of salute to put it mildly. It seems he is giving the world the proverbial finger in disguise. Perhaps he is not and it is in fact a physical anomaly of his. I do think someone ought to tell him that and he should correct it. It's distracting.

bob-790-196018 A rating of 6 instead of lower primarily because Bill Nighy's portrayal of Lawrence is so interesting. He is a grab bag of facial ticks, lurching movements, evasions, and self-deprecations, yet at bottom he is also surprisingly cynical about what he does for a living. I suppose Nighy could be criticized for over-acting, but I enjoyed watching him.It's interesting, too, to watch the slow, halting, awkward development of a relationship between Lawrence and the girl Gina.Then, halfway through the film, comes the great disillusionment. We watch Gina heedlessly lecture first the Chancellor of the Exchequer, then his German counterpart, and finally the Prime Minister as he delivers a smarmy speech during a formal dinner with two or three dozen bigwigs and their spouses in attendance. Heedless, because this amounts to the certain destruction of Lawrence's career.There is absolutely no preparation for this behavior. There is the suggestion somewhere in the movie that Gina is a plant, representing a protest group, but in fact it was Lawrence who chose to sit at her table in the cafe to start with.As for what Gina has to say about the condition of children in poverty--it's certainly true, but the likelihood is zero that this impertinent girl, however sincere, could influence policy as she ultimately does in the film.Ah, but consider the alternative. She could have kept her mouth shut, and the movie ends with Lawrence and Gina glad to have had the time together in Iceland but sadly forced to admit that they are too different ever to make a go of it. A downer of an ending, but a lot more believable than the way the film actually ends.

Sindre Kaspersen In the days before a middle-aged man who works for the Chancellor of the Exchequer is going to Reykjavik to partake in a G8 conference in relation to the millennium goals, he meets an anonymous though attractive woman named Gina in a Café.With this humanistic independent film made for BBC Wales, English film and television director David Yates has created a dialog-driven story about two single souls who by chance ends up at the same table in a crowded Café on Downing Street, London in 2005. After several private meetings the friendship between the Englishman and the Scottish woman grows and an undeniable spark emerges. David Yates follows the main characters from scene to scene and films them from versatile perspectives. He often uses close-ups and creates a moderate distance between the viewers and the characters by filming the characters from over viewable distances. "The Girl in the Café" tells two converging stories which supplements one another. As the title indicates, this is a love-story, but also a political drama concerning the extreme poverty in Africa that appeals to the world leaders that possesses the power to carry out the action that are needed to realize the clear message of the many men and women who has realized this philanthropic production. The films classic narrative suites this thoughtful character drama, written by Richard Curtis "Love Actually" (2003), which besides being a universal story about politics and love, also depicts two gripping studies of character.The approachable and understated acting performances by English actor Bill Nighy and Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald, which compliments one another without it seeming restrained, charms. Bill Nighy's clumsy movements and the way he balances the humorous and the serious makes his performance unique, while Kelly Macdonald's listening, observant and flirty interpretation becomes the films mysterious element. Chris Seager's varied cinematography, the quiet pace and the consistent instrumental tones from Nicholas Hooper gives this little masterpiece where an intimate friendship arises at a Café whilst essential questions about human rights obtains the British government a reflective atmosphere, and the melodic music performed by Damien Rice and Sigur Rós strengthens the films message and visualizes the characters inner states.

jande9 This movie is a gem. It starts off on a simple premise, a shy older man meeting equally shy young woman, and having them slowly and painfully develop a relationship. You learn a lot about the older man, but the young woman is a mystery, her character unrevealed, but half way through the movie she starts to assert herself, and her character then comes out and takes the movie on a completely unexpected direction.Lawrence is so shy and awkward he is almost a parody but Bill Nighy manages to present the character in an open and expressive way that is believable and interesting. So many of these types of characters are presented as repressed, which stifles the actor and makes the character less attractive but Lawrence honestly and openly shows his inner turmoil which makes the character very appealing.Gina is also shy, but as presented by Kelly Macdonald there is much more than that going on. She seems to be in pain, and her shyness is mixed with fear. Her vulnerability enhances her attractiveness, and Lawrence cannot stop thinking about her. We never quite find out why she is attracted to him, but the attraction between the two characters is strong and believable, and forms the core of this movie.As is usual in movies from the UK, the supporting roles are not just simple stereotypes but fully formed complex characters giving the actors who play them a lot to work with, and they all succeed in beautifully bringing all these characters to life.If you like your movies simple, well written, beautifully acted, you will enjoy this. I really enjoyed it. I hope the producer does a sequel because I would like to spend some more time with Gina and Lawrence.