An unlikely visitor arrives in an unhappy community, and, after a false start, brings happiness to them and to herself. Such an outline of Percy Adlon's 'Bagdad Cafe' sounds almost conventional; but it wouldn't prepare you for the sheer weirdness of the characters or the setting (this is Bagdad, Nevada) or for the fantastical element that develops as the film progresses; nor for the sudden song and dance routine that breaks out before the movie ends. Even the theme song, which features prominently throughout, is frankly a little odd. The net result is certainly original, and not without charm; it never feels forced, but it is deliberately peculiar, and how much you like it will probably depend on how easy you find it to fall into its world. Adlon himself is Bavarian (as his the lead character); but if this is true Bavarian humour, it's certainly very strange.
Review of Bagdad Cafe
