Woody Allen's latest film pays homage to the glamour of the Golden Age of 1930s Hollywood.
Jesse Eisenberg plays naïve, nerdy Bronx boy Bobby Dorfman who travels to Hollywood to seek his fortune. His busy uncle Phil (Steve Carell), a successful agent to the stars, gives him a job running errands. Eisenberg duly falls in love with his uncle's secretary, Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) but there is a problem: she has a mysterious boyfriend.
Eventually Bobby joins his gangster brother in running a chic nightclub. But the past is about to catch up with almost everyone.
There is a fine cast, with stand-out performances from Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg. He skilfully inhabits the on-screen Allen figure, making aspects of the character his own.
Overall, the film lacks originality and is sub-plot heavy but it oozes with nostalgia. Sadly, for a film about love, it lacks passion between its characters. However, Vittorio Storaro's glorious cinematography and Suzy Benzinger's lavish costumes make for beautiful, sumptuous viewing.
Café Society is perhaps Allen's most Jewish film of late. Yiddish and Jewish archetypes contribute to a loving portrayal of a Jewish family, albeit with its fair share of dysfunction.
Allen's humour provides more smiles than laughs but his trademark witty one-liners have not deserted him. "You don't have a traditional Jewish soul," Bobby's mother tells her husband. "You're stupid."
To get more from Life, click here to sign up for our free Life newsletter.