Bagdad Cafe (1988)
- Synopsis:
- A stranded German tourist works magic in more ways than one and finds surprising friendship at a Mojave Desert pit stop in this lively, atmospheric comedy-drama that brims with eccentric characters.
- Starring:
- Marianne Sagebrecht, CCH Pounder
- Director:
- Percy Adlon
- Rated:
- PG
12 handpicked matches for Bagdad Cafe
Scroll over a movie for more information about the match. Click "Compare" to see a side-by-side comparison of our clerk's recommendation with your starting movie.
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The Band's Visit (2007)
The Band's Visit is a Close match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin's debut feature, THE BAND'S VISIT, is a subtle, heartfelt, and humane work that goes a long way toward dissolving the incredibly complex cultural divide that continues to plague the Middle East. When the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra flies from Egypt to Israel to perform at the opening of an Arab culture center, they are left stranded at the airport. Their leader, Tewfiq (Sasson Gabai), orders the handsome violinist, Khaled (Saleh Bakri), to solve their predicament, but it turns out that he's gotten the wrong information. By that time, it's too late. All eight members are left standing alone in a quiet desert town far from their intended destination with no way to get where they need to go. Tired, hungry, and confused, they find shelter at a restaurant run by the pretty but brash Dina (Ronit Elkabetz). It's clear that Dina is bored with her lonely life, so she talks Tewfiq into letting the band stay over for the night: he and Khaled will stay with her, and the others will be put up at the home of Itzik (Rubi Moscovich). Over the course of the night, Tewfiq and Dina bond, Khaled helps a hapless local discover his inner Romeo, and the other band members find themselves caught up in a domestic situation that is less than perfect. Kolirin perfectly navigates his film's slice-of-life tone, blending comedy and drama and poignancy without ever succumbing to one completely. In the wrong hands, this material could turn into a quirk-fest that parodies everyday life. Yet under Kolirin's assured command, it becomes something that feels like life itself. THE BAND'S VISIT is funny, lonely, inspiring, sad, and beautiful all at once.
- Starring:
- Sasson Gabai, Ronit Elkabetz
- Director:
- Eran Kolirin
- Rated:
- PG-13
- Runtime:
- 86
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The Band's Visit
(2007) (PG-13)
Similar Charm
-
The Band's Visit (2007)
The Band's Visit is a Close match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin's debut feature, THE BAND'S VISIT, is a subtle, heartfelt, and humane work that goes a long way toward dissolving the incredibly complex cultural divide that continues to plague the Middle East. When the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra flies from Egypt to Israel to perform at the opening of an Arab culture center, they are left stranded at the airport. Their leader, Tewfiq (Sasson Gabai), orders the handsome violinist, Khaled (Saleh Bakri), to solve their predicament, but it turns out that he's gotten the wrong information. By that time, it's too late. All eight members are left standing alone in a quiet desert town far from their intended destination with no way to get where they need to go. Tired, hungry, and confused, they find shelter at a restaurant run by the pretty but brash Dina (Ronit Elkabetz). It's clear that Dina is bored with her lonely life, so she talks Tewfiq into letting the band stay over for the night: he and Khaled will stay with her, and the others will be put up at the home of Itzik (Rubi Moscovich). Over the course of the night, Tewfiq and Dina bond, Khaled helps a hapless local discover his inner Romeo, and the other band members find themselves caught up in a domestic situation that is less than perfect. Kolirin perfectly navigates his film's slice-of-life tone, blending comedy and drama and poignancy without ever succumbing to one completely. In the wrong hands, this material could turn into a quirk-fest that parodies everyday life. Yet under Kolirin's assured command, it becomes something that feels like life itself. THE BAND'S VISIT is funny, lonely, inspiring, sad, and beautiful all at once.
- Starring:
- Sasson Gabai, Ronit Elkabetz
- Director:
- Eran Kolirin
- Rated:
- PG-13
- Runtime:
- 86
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Gas Food Lodging
(1992) (R)
Similar Milieu
-
Similar Milieu
Gas Food Lodging (1992)
Gas Food Lodging is a Close match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- A single mom and her two daughters struggle to find happiness in a small desert town. Fairuza Balk won an Independent Spirit Award for her performance.
- Starring:
- Brooke Adams, Ione Skye
- Director:
- Allison Anders
- Rated:
- R
- Runtime:
- 100
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The Station Agent
(2003) (R)
Equally Warm
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Equally Warm
The Station Agent (2003)
The Station Agent is a Creative match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- A dwarf with a passion for trains, a loquacious hot dog vendor, and an artist grieving over the death of her child form an unexpected bond in this funny and touching comedy-drama. A Sundance and Independent Spirit award winner.
- Starring:
- Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson
- Director:
- Tom McCarthy
- Rated:
- R
- Runtime:
- 88
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The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
(1991) (PG-13)
More Disturbing
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More Disturbing
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1991)
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe is a Creative match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- A dwarf (Cork Hubbert) fuels an odd couple's (Vanessa Redgrave, Keith Carradine) rural feud in the 1930s South.
- Starring:
- Vanessa Redgrave, Keith Carradine
- Director:
- Simon Callow
- Rated:
- PG-13
- Runtime:
- 100
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Mystery Train
(1989) (R)
As Atmospheric
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As Atmospheric
Mystery Train (1989)
Mystery Train is a Creative match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- Elvis haunts Japanese tourists, an Italian widow (Nicoletta Braschi) and a British outlaw (Joe Strummer) at a Memphis hotel.
- Starring:
- Masatoshi Nagase, Nicoletta Braschi
- Director:
- Jim Jarmusch
- Rated:
- R
- Runtime:
- 113
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Passion Fish
(1992) (R)
More Tearjerking
-
More Tearjerking
Passion Fish (1992)
Passion Fish is a Creative match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- A paralyzed soap-opera star (Mary McDonnell) and her nurse (Alfre Woodard) give each other strength to grow in Louisiana.
- Starring:
- Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard
- Director:
- John Sayles
- Rated:
- R
- Runtime:
- 134
-
Amelie
(2001) (R)
More Whimsical
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More Whimsical
Amelie (2001)
Amelie is a Creative match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) is a young woman who glides through the streets of Paris as quietly as a mouse. With wide eyes and a tiny grin, she sees the world in a magical light, discovering minor miracles every day. A shy and reserved person whose favorite moments are spent alone skimming stones into the water, Amélie was raised by a pair of eccentrics who falsely diagnosed her with a heart problem at the age of six and so limited her exposure to the outside world. Now a free and independent woman, Amélie wears a bob that curls in every direction and dresses in red. With a job in a café and an aptitude for spying on her neighbors, Amélie entertains herself by enacting a series of homemade, kindhearted practical jokes. She returns a long-forgotten box of childhood knickknacks to its proper owner, she sends her father's garden troll on a trip around the world, and she creates a love connection at the café between the hypochondriac druggist and a beer-drinking old grouch. But when the day is done, Amélie finds one stone unturned, and decides to work her magic on the quirky object of her affections, Nino Quincampoix (Matthieu Kassovitz), whom she has never met.Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (who codirected DELICATESSEN and THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN with Marc Caro) presents AMÉLIE, an aesthetically gorgeous and inventive film. The rich, glowing color scheme is offset by flashbacks in black and white archival footage that give short biographies of each character. A soft-spoken narrator guides viewers through this enlightening fairy tale, which sometimes speeds through the streets and other times drifts in slow motion. AMÉLIE is humorous, questioning, and strange, and it will change the lives of all who watch it, if only for a short while after leaving Amélie's world.
- Starring:
- Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz
- Director:
- Jean-Pierre Jeunet
- Rated:
- R
- Runtime:
- 121
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Leningrad Cowboys Go America
(1989) (PG-13)
Wackier Road Movie
-
Wackier Road Movie
Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)
Leningrad Cowboys Go America is a Creative match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- A group of inept Finnish musicians forsakes its frozen homeland for a shot at fame and fortune in the United States.
- Starring:
- Matti Pellonpaa, Kari Vaananen
- Director:
- Aki Kaurismäki
- Rated:
- PG-13
- Runtime:
- 78
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Little Miss Sunshine
(2006) (R)
More Mainstream
-
More Mainstream
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Little Miss Sunshine is a Creative match for Bagdad Cafe
- Synopsis:
- Quirky ensemble comedy about a dysfunctional family's troubled road trip to support their youngest member's dream of winning an interstate beauty pageant. Arkin won an Oscar for his supporting performance.
- Starring:
- Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell
- Director:
- Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
- Rated:
- R
- Runtime:
- 102
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Waitress
(2007) (PG-13)
Less Eccentric
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Less Eccentric
Waitress (2007)
Waitress is a Creative match for Bagdad Cafe
Our Clerk Says: Diner provides unhappy waitress with similar sense of community is less eccentric, more romantic dramedy.
- Starring:
- Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion
- Director:
- Adrienne Shelly
- Rated:
- PG-13
- Runtime:
- 107
