The Girl in the Café (2005)

Lawrence, an aging, lonely civil servant falls for Gina, an enigmatic young woman. When he takes her to the G8 Summit in Reykjavik, however, their bond is tested by Lawrence's professional obligations.

Director:

David Yates

Writer:

Richard Curtis

Stars:

Bill Nighy, Kelly Macdonald, Meneka Das

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Nighy	...	Lawrence
Kelly Macdonald	...	Gina
Meneka Das	...	Sunita
Anton Lesser	...	George
Paul Ritter	...	Robert
Ken Stott	...	Chancellor
Federico Zanni	...	Italian Waiter
Penny Downie	...	Ruth
Damon Younger	...	Hotel Receptionist
Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir	...	Assistant Receptionist
Marit Velle Kile	...	Waitress (as Marit Kile)
Philippe De Grossouvre	...	French Delegate
Louisa Bojesen	...	CNBC Newscaster
Christian Rubeck	...	German Senior Advisor (as Christian Pedersen)
Toshie Ogura	...	Japanese Delegate

Storyline

Lawrence is a reserved civil servant who has worked for the British government for years. When he meets the much younger Gina in a café, he is immediately smitten. Feeling uncharacteristically impetuous, Lawrence invites her to join him on a business trip to Reykjavik for the G-8 summit. Gina, not one to hold her thoughts back, surprises Lawrence with her blunt political opinions, and he must balance his affection for her with the propriety of his position.

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Plot Keywords:

female frontal nudity | red panties | panties | sex | female nudity | 

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Taglines:

Love can't change what's wrong in the world. But it's a start.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Official Sites:

BBC [UK] HBO [United States]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

25 June 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Girl in the Café

Filming Locations:

Iceland

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Wales, Tightrope Pictures, HBO Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Lawrence checks into the hotel in Reykjavik he is told by the clerk that he is in room 5021. However later when he and Gina are walking down the hotel hallway to the room they go to 5121.

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Quotes

Gina: Is all right good enough? Is all right good enough for you, Mr. Gerhardt?
Chancellor of the Exchequer: I think all right is a lot more than many expected.
Gina: So lots more mothers die the day they give birth? Lots more children die before they're five? Lots and lots more die of diseases that are just a jab and a jolt to people like you and me?
Herr Gerhardt: Young lady, I think it might be helpful for you to look at it the other way around - thousands will benefit from what we do today.
Gina: I can see that, it's just, you know... tough, for those...

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Crazy Credits

During the credits, the sound of a finger snapping every 3 seconds is heard. Each snap represents a death in the world due to extreme poverty.

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Connections

Featured in The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2006)

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Soundtracks

Cold Water
(uncredited)
Written and Performed by Damien Rice
[heard at beginning and over end credits]

User Reviews

love and truth can co-exist

Bill Nihby's Lawrence is such a painfully reserved character to observe that one wonders how he can possibly be effective as a policy wonk. Still, the fusion of this shy man and the girl in the cafe who has all the time in the world and a charming b.s. meter to boot is a wonder to behold. This film is clearly a piece of propaganda wrapped in a love story. The message is delivered in inescapable measure. Ultimately, the film punches out its challenge to the movers and shakers of the G8 to 'be great.' One could only wish that the real movers and shakers could accept the simple message they are being challenged with. This is such a lovely little film with plenty of gusto.