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Absolutely Fantastic

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Loving a small touch of surrealism in your movies, I would have to say that this film would be a perfect fit for you. The way the film was photographed (often off-kilter), the desert colors (looking air- brushed), the people are very much off the edge (the result of heatstroke maybe?), and even the inanimate objects all seem to have a life of their own in this film. It was wonderful that the actor Jack Palance left behind his typical "slightly mean" persona to play a character that is bemused and a big lovestruck artist. CCH Pounder is an actor that can scold and holler better than anyone. She is so very commanding. It is great that the characters of the long-suffering men in her life eventually get to appreciate the story unfolding before them. The overweight German woman who turns a disgusting dirty, "down on its luck" café/motel into a special place, where magical things happen on so many different levels, is just wonderful. The last scene kind of disappointed me, but overall it doesn't undermine this goofball quality of this one terrific little film.

In a world where (some) men just escape and hide, and women go ahead and start everything anew, any place becomes a good place to give new lymph to one's life: change lies in everyone's will to make it happen, and history teaches that women are far better than men in this. The director (a man!) of "Out of Rosenheim" (better known as "Bagdad Cafè") proves this simple truth very clearly and honestly. In my still in progress search for on the road movies I bumped into this curious piece of cinema, not a road picture properly, since no physical journey happens, but certainly more than an inner journey develops. It involves the lives of some odd characters, especially Jasmin and Brenda whose lives, so distant but so similar, come to meet at the Bagdad Café, located on a "desert road from Vegas to nowhere" (quotation from the wonderful leading song "Calling you"). At the beginning it is a shabby, dirty, anonymous place, where people only pass by, run by a hysterical and melancholic Brenda, whose encounter with the impeccable "deutsche" Jasmin will turn the cafè into an amusing and happy place and will renew both lives radically. They will become friends, besides suspicion and fear, by teaching mutually how to enjoy life again. And it will turn out very difficult, almost impossible, to leave this magic place. The cast is outstanding, the two female protagonists are perfect in their parts, but also Jack Palance, with his mixture of past glory and present melancholy, leaves the mark.The very good photography (some settings captured at sunset are really effective), together with the deeply involving and enigmatic music contribute to a significant emotional impact on the viewer, and also some very funny moments are to be enjoyed. A truly worth seeing picture.

This is a rare gem. The first time I saw this film I was attracted by the beautifully shot images, the warm colors and the beautiful song that accompanied them. Then, when learning to know the characters better, the film really unfolds to you it's whole essence! This is a simple, straightforward story about friendship, pain, love and humanity. Every single character is very real and well acted, and the story evolves very naturally. This is a film that makes you love mankind, that makes you love it's characters and that gets deep under your skin. A film that with all it's simplicity and beauty catches you and never leaves you. An unpretentious and heartwarming gem. Brilliant!

Here's for an American comedy that's... uh... VERY German. At least, it's set in Nevada just outside of Las Vegas, and holds a very strong sense of the Southwest and its colors and energy, but directed by a German in a very Expressionist way.A German tourist has an argument with her husband and they split up, him taking the car and leaving her out in the hot sunny wasteland. Wandering along the highway she makes her way to Bagdad, a small town... or rather, a café with people who for some reason like to hang out around it all their lives... and befriends the usually angry and very aggravated owner. The two, though very confused with each other at first, eventually spark a friendship of "magic" that attracts many visitors to the small outpost.It's very funny and pretty quirky. A lot of the strange editing and washed-out cinematography add to a sense of Expressionism, but captures very well the landscape... both its heat and its beauty.This film is missing a few bits of character development and sometimes feels a bit rushed, but it's a very nice and very loving take on yet another type of culture shock that eventually works magic and brings people together. Some things weren't developed enough (Brenda's husband spends all that time spying and yet never comes back?) but the short time we spend with all these characters paints broad portraits that leave their echoes with us forever. That, indeed, is a very strong ability indeed.CCH Pounder is brilliant. If you want to see her do brilliantly as a very different character in a very good movie, watch Benny and Joon. The two movies are similar in that they bring very quirky characters together, but otherwise are nearly completely different. Between the two of these movies, I wish CCH Pounder was in a lot more movies than animations and television series.--PolarisDiB