French Roast (2008)

Touches You

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This short was deservedly nominated for the Academy Award for Animated Short. There will be spoilers ahead:If and when you watch this short, take a moment to watch what's going on behind the man drinking all the coffee in the booth. It's a mirror behind him in which you see a reflection of the street outside the window the man is facing, as well as the characters passing in front of the mirror inside the café. The animation is excellent here.This short focuses on the interactions of several characters with each other, in particular one well-to-do gentleman who is drinking coffee and reading the financial section of a newspaper. The other principals are a vagabond collecting scraps of paper and begging for change, a waiter, an old woman sitting next to the man and a man who comes in to post a wanted poster of a bank robber. All of these intersect to one degree or another.The man drinking coffee finds early on that he hasn't got his wallet and cannot pay for his coffee. Instead of admitting this, he simply continues drinking coffee and digging himself in deeper. He has several encounters with the vagabond, who hits him up for change and whom he ignores.The old lady, napping until the vagabond importunes her, pulls out a wrapped bundle of banknotes and gives one to the vagabond, who treats it like just another bit of scrap paper. The old lady goes to the bathroom. The well dressed man considers taking money from her purse, but fate and circumstances foil him more than once.Enter the man posting the wanted poster. The next scene, it's now dark, the man who posted the poster is now asleep, snoring loudly and leaning into the well dressed and now desperate man, who reaches into the old lady's purse, pulls out something and causes bedlam in doing so. I won't spoil this part.The end of the short is perfect, with the moment of reckoning turning into a moment of resolution just ambiguous enough for the viewer to draw their own conclusions while the look on the face of a man pulled from outright despair by an unlikely source (certainly in his eyes) and leaving him with much to consider.This short is well worth seeking out. Most highly recommended.

for understand the life as large collection of nuances.for discover a kind of mirror for human types. for a kind of lovely crumbs from Charlot universe. for its humor and for the beggar. for the coffee cups and for the temptations of honorable man. for the reflection of small pieces who defines each day for each of us. for poetry of details. and, sure, for the great job. it is something unique in its case. the mixture of humanity and appearances, the characters gestures as ours. and the music. an useful film. that is all. interesting, touching in special manner, delicate and precise. an old fashion film. French in spirit, universal in seductive soft beauty.

At only eight minutes in length, this seemed overly long by half, and repetitious, but it ends on a somewhat pleasant, if hackneyed, note.A conservative man who apparently cannot admit he forgot his wallet at home tries to save face by ordering one coffee after another as a hunchbacked waiter and various other eccentrics come and go at the cafe.An annoying sort of elderly Jesus figure traipses in and out and you wonder who he is and finally you see that he's a benefactor who shows up just in the nick of time to help the mortified espresso drinker out of his jam.The best part of the film is the very French vocal track that jauntily accompanies the final credits.

This is the third straight year that I have gone to the local theater to view the Oscar-nominated animated shorts. And, like the past two years, I am going to make my predictions about the winner in this category. I would say, however, my record isn't great when it comes to the animated films--I seem to be better at picking the live action shorts instead. However, I don't think I'm stepping out on a limb at all to say that it's highly unlikely FRENCH ROAST will take the top prize. This isn't to say that it's a bad film--it isn't bad at all and I definitely enjoyed it. It's just that there were a few that really stood out much more and seemed to be THE films to beat--in particular, THE LADY AND THE REAPER and LOGORAMA.I seemed to enjoy this film more than my daughter (who I took with me to see them). She said it was "easy to forget" but I appreciated much of it. The CG animation was very nice as was the character design.As for the story, though slight, it made me laugh and was enjoyable from start to finish. It starts by showing a very dirty hobo walking the streets with a cloud of bugs following him. Inside the nearby café, a snooty looking guy pretends not to see the man when he then enters the café to beg for money. What happens next is pretty funny and I won't say any more--it would spoil the film.Well worth seeing and very well made.