Bagdad Cafe (1987)

Bagdad Café is a beguiling exploration into the heart of an offbeat desert community, an arid landscape brimming with an almost mythical allure. The narrative is a charming 'fish out of water' tale, centering around Jasmin, a woman who finds herself in the midst of a heated disagreement with her husband amidst the barren expanses of the South West. Fleeing the dispute, Jasmin seeks refuge in an isolated truck-stop café, a seeming oasis in the desert wilderness. The film is a beautifully woven tapestry of the lives and minds of the café's unique occupants, individuals we may cross paths with but seldom truly understand. As Jasmin settles into this unfamiliar environment, she forms unlikely friendships with the café's regulars, including Rudi, a retired Hollywood set decorator with an unfulfilled desire to paint her portrait. Bagdad Café is a testament to the transformative power of the ordinary, spotlighting the 'magic' that emerges from shared understanding, acceptance, and hard work. It is a whimsical, yet profound narrative, capturing the universal tribulations and triumphs in the human experience. The Adlons lovingly frame this story against the stark backdrop of the South West, breathing vibrant life into an often overlooked setting, and transforming it into a stage for an extraordinary tale. In the midst of the bleak and the mundane, Bagdad Café promises a rare, enchanting beauty.

Bagdad Cafe is a comedy movie featuring Marianne Sägebrecht and directed by Percy Adlon.

Bagdad Cafe is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Freevee, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Player, Shout! Factory TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi TV and VUDU Free and it's also available on Cohen Media Amazon Channel.

It is also possible to buy Bagdad Cafe on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Vudu and YouTube.