CQ (2001)

A young filmmaker in 1960s Paris juggles directing a cheesy sci-fi debacle, directing his own personal art film, coping with his crumbling relationship with his girlfriend, and a new-found infatuation with the sci-fi film's starlet.

Director:

Roman Coppola

Writer:

Roman Coppola

Stars:

Jeremy Davies, Angela Lindvall, Élodie Bouchez

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Davies	...	Paul
Angela Lindvall	...	Dragonfly / Valentine
Élodie Bouchez	...	Marlene
Gérard Depardieu	...	Andrezej
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Enzo
Massimo Ghini	...	Fabrizio
Jason Schwartzman	...	Felix DeMarco
Billy Zane	...	Mr. E
John Phillip Law	...	Chairman
Silvio Muccino	...	Pippo
Dean Stockwell	...	Dr. Ballard
Natalia Vodianova	...	Brigit
Bernard Verley	...	Trailer Voiceover Actor
L.M. Kit Carson	...	Fantasy Critic
Chris Bearne	...	Fantasy Critic

Storyline

Paris, 1969. The filming of a sci-fi movie set in the distant year 2000 is in trouble. The director's obsession with the actress who plays the sexy secret agent Dragonfly has clouded his judgment and the film has no ending. A young American, in Paris to document his life on film with total honesty, is brought in to finish the movie with a bang. This proves to be difficult when the line between his fantasy life and reality becomes blurred, and he finds himself seduced by the charms of Dragonfly.

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Plot Keywords:

dragonfly | secret agent | infatuation | 1960s | actress | 

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Taglines:

What is Real? What is Art? What is...the End?

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Genres:

Drama | Comedy | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

MGM [us] - trailer, synopsis

Country:

USA Luxembourg France Italy

Language:

English French

Release Date:

29 January 2003 (France)

Filming Locations:

Luxembourg

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$54,942 (USA) (24 May 2002)

Gross:

$411,034 (USA) (6 September 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists, American Zoetrope, Delux Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min 91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The trailer for the film is stylistically identical for the trailer that Paul designs for the film within the film, which, in turn, is stylistically identical to the trailer for the Stanley Kubrick film, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

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Goofs

When Dragonfly swerves her car in reverse in the tunnel, there are skid marks already on the ground along the path her tires take.

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Quotes

Felix DeMarco: Okay, I want two cameras! I know it sounds risky, but we're gonna do two!

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Connections

References Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

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Soundtracks

"Chain Reaction"
Written by Patrick Woodcock and Pierre Begon-Lours
Performed by Mellow

User Reviews

Interesting premise butchered by an amateur

Watching the trailer for this movie, I couldn't help but feel excited.

Look at all the swank 60's spy movie references!

Well ... this wasn't the movie I'd hoped for. I believe that "CQ" is Roman Coppola's (son of famous Francis Ford Coppola) first feature-length movie. And I suppose that all first-time directors flail and hick-up in their first (hell, even second and third) films.

But Coppola very blatantly tries to conceal all his director and writer disabilities by shrouding the film with 60's pop-culture trivia ... something that I'm sure his "hipster" handbook directed him to do.

The premise involves an American attempting to edit a ridiculously avant-gard sci-fi/spy Modesty Blaise-esque movie in Paris ... while in his personal time he whines and moans about how he isn't adept enough to sustain a meaningful relationship ... all this through the eyes of a camera. And whilst he records his day-to-day life on film ... he neglects his stunning french girlfriend.

So ... our young American in Paris ends up taking the reigns of the spy movie and plenty of hijinx ensue.

It isn't hard to predict how the movie will end. And if you wait around long enough and can somehow see past Coppola's bloated, pretentious and pedestrian writing and direction ... then you'll have earned a shining ticket to complain about how great this movie COULD have been.

And people wonder why nobody remembers (or wants to remember) this movie. Chalk it all up to the futile attempts of a son of a great director to become more than his father.

Remember ... even old Francis Ford had to LEARN filmmaking. Anyone ever see "Dementia 13?" It wasn't a HORRIBLE movie ... but then again ... it wasn't "Apocalypse Now," either.

Roman's sister, Sophia Coppola has done so interesting work. If anyone inherited Francis Ford's filmmaking genes ... my guess is that it's her. "The Virgin Suicides" is a really excellent movie. "Lost in Translation" wasn't bad either.

So ... Roman ... keep on making those music videos. Your video for "The Strokes" was painfully dull ... but it was a little easier for me to switch channels.