Impromptu
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
Impromptu takes a look at the redemptive power of food, wine, music and love through the eyes of a modern man. Chuck is in his element, cooking and listening to Chopin with his baby daughter, imagining what he will say to his wife Sylvie once he can get her to slow down long enough to have a real conversation. All goes awry when Sylvie spontaneously invites a group of colleagues over to celebrate a work victory. The festivities begin to spiral out of control, and Chuck must find his way through a planned diner à deux that has turned into pandemonium. Filmmaker Bruce Alcock continues in the fine tradition of beloved food films such as Babette's Feast, Big Night and Like Water for Chocolate, using the preparation of a meal as a vehicle for exploring the grand themes of love and life. The loosely flowing movements of his simple and colourful line drawings suggest Alexander Calder wire sculptures come to life. Like the piano impromptu from which the film takes its name, the animation embodies the fleeting occurrence of those inner eureka moments that carry us forward—and bring order to the chaos of life's rich pageant.
Citation
Main credits
Alcock, Bruce (film director)
Alcock, Bruce (screenwriter)
Alcock, Bruce (animator)
Ouellette, Tina (film producer)
Clarke, Annette (film producer)
Fukushima, Michael (film producer)
Joy, Robert (voice actor)
Other credits
Storyboard, art direction, & animation, Bruce Alcock & Cesare Battista; editing, Cesare Battista; music, Frédéric Chopin.
Distributor subjects
Families - Family Life; Family Studies/Home Economics - Relationships; Health/Personal Development - Problem Solving/Conflict Resolution; Minimum Age Level - 18; Social Issues - Urban Life; AnimationKeywords
WEBVTT
00:00:10.917 --> 00:00:13.500
(footsteps)
00:00:20.333 --> 00:00:23.083
(classical music, piano)
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(man humming)
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(laughing)
(chopping)
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- You wanna help, Lydia?
You wanna be sous-chef?
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- Efflant!
- Eggplant.
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- Efflant!
(laughter)
00:00:41.834 --> 00:00:44.834
- Yeah.
(inhaling, sipping)
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(man humming)
00:00:56.583 --> 00:00:58.749
(chopping)
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(ringing)
Ah. It\'s Sylvie.
00:01:01.834 --> 00:01:03.666
(ringing)
- Momma!
00:01:03.667 --> 00:01:04.791
(beep)
- Hello?
00:01:04.792 --> 00:01:06.749
(background chatter)
-Hey, beautiful. It\'s me.
00:01:06.750 --> 00:01:08.207
- Momma! Momma! Momma!
- How are ya?
00:01:08.208 --> 00:01:11.249
I\'m sorry I haven\'t called, n
but we\'re still celebrating.
00:01:11.250 --> 00:01:13.457
- How can you be still at lunch?
00:01:13.458 --> 00:01:14.707
-Well, we won the bid, silly!
00:01:14.708 --> 00:01:18.082
Don\'t tell me you\'re still mad
about that. Anyway, so...
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I wanna bring a few people
home for dinner...
00:01:20.417 --> 00:01:22.165
- You wanna bring them here?
For dinner? No!
00:01:22.166 --> 00:01:25.124
- Oh, it\'s just Hester andn a
few people from the office.
00:01:25.125 --> 00:01:27.332
- Hester? Then definitely not.
- Chuck, it\'ll be fine.
00:01:27.333 --> 00:01:29.999
See you in a few minutes.
- Look... I\'ve got work...
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- Bye!
- Wait, you... Hello? Sylvie?
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Shit!
(Lydia): Fthit.
00:01:36.083 --> 00:01:39.124
- Shoot. Shoot. Shoot...
- Poooot!
00:01:39.125 --> 00:01:42.542
- Oh...
(Chuck mumbling)
00:01:43.792 --> 00:01:47.125
(classical music)
(humming)
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(knocking)
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- Uncle Doug!
- Hey, sweetie.
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(clacking)
- Where did you get these?
00:02:02.750 --> 00:02:03.458
- From a client.
00:02:03.459 --> 00:02:05.833
Worked on his boat
through the night.
00:02:05.834 --> 00:02:08.541
Is, uh, my sister around?
- On her way.
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With company;
she\'s been celebrating.
00:02:11.333 --> 00:02:15.040
- Aw. Probably won the bid.
- Yeah.
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- The building you were against.
00:02:17.208 --> 00:02:19.082
- Inappropriate site.
00:02:19.083 --> 00:02:21.707
- Yeah. Sure.
Extra seat for dinner?
00:02:21.708 --> 00:02:22.708
- Always.
- Excellent!
00:02:22.709 --> 00:02:25.874
- Can\'t smoke that in here.
Remember?
00:02:25.875 --> 00:02:28.749
- Right. Right.
- Out on the deck, just...
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- Yeah. Sorry.
(inhaling)
00:02:30.208 --> 00:02:31.916
(Chuck sighing)
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- Hey, beauteous.
Beauteous things. Mm!
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(sizzling)
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(rattling)
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- I do this all the time.
- Are you sure?
00:02:50.417 --> 00:02:52.999
- Smells delicious!
- Oh, hi! Uh...
00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:56.457
- You, uh, remember
I mentioned Caroline?
00:02:56.458 --> 00:03:00.416
- Uh, hope this isn\'t
an imposition?
00:03:00.417 --> 00:03:03.040
- Not at all.
- Hey...
00:03:03.041 --> 00:03:04.124
(laughter)
00:03:04.125 --> 00:03:06.833
I hear Sylvie\'s outfit
is building that bank.
00:03:06.834 --> 00:03:09.332
We gonna see some fireworks?
- Yeah. Well...
00:03:09.333 --> 00:03:12.040
- They\'re like Sicilian lovers
these two.
00:03:12.041 --> 00:03:13.207
- Oh...
- Nerdy Sicilians.
00:03:13.208 --> 00:03:17.374
- Uh, so listen,
you have to stay for dinner.
00:03:17.375 --> 00:03:18.250
- No.
- Yes.
00:03:18.251 --> 00:03:20.541
- No. You sure, it\'s...
- Yes, no trouble.
00:03:20.542 --> 00:03:21.458
But make yourself useful.
00:03:21.459 --> 00:03:23.582
Go down in the basement
and grab some wine.
00:03:23.583 --> 00:03:26.249
There\'s most of a case
of Côte-du-Rhône just...
00:03:26.250 --> 00:03:29.458
you know, under the stairs.
- Got it.
00:03:31.875 --> 00:03:34.165
- Anything I can do?
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- You... could set the table.
00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:38.916
- For how many?
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- Ah...
(Chuck mumbling)
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Ten, I guess? Ten.
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(Sylvie): Alright troops.
It\'s this way.
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Hello!
(indistinct chatter)
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- Hey! Wow!
- Hey, you!
00:03:52.917 --> 00:03:54.165
- Hey...
- Well, it\'s a few people.
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- Three or four, I thought.
- You know what, darling?
00:03:56.875 --> 00:03:59.290
We picked up a couple
on the way here.
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- A couple? Thirteen...?
(Chuck baffling)
00:04:00.583 --> 00:04:04.791
And who are the musicians?
A tuba? I mean, it\'s a bit much.
00:04:04.792 --> 00:04:06.999
- So! What\'s to drink?
00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:11.417
- Uh, Jeff\'s getting some wine.
- Oh.
00:04:13.083 --> 00:04:15.082
Why don\'t you use
a garlic press?
00:04:15.083 --> 00:04:19.082
- A garlic press makes
the garlic hot and acrid, uh...
00:04:19.083 --> 00:04:22.624
- Aw! I use one.
- I\'m... sure you do.
00:04:22.625 --> 00:04:25.374
(Chuck crying in pain):
Oh! Shit! Oh...
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- Did any blood get on the food?
00:04:27.667 --> 00:04:30.457
- Hester! Look...
watch the croutons for me.
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Keep shaking the pan
or they\'ll burn.
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(groaning softly)
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(knocking)
Look... it\'s occupied.
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Oh. Hey.
- Hey.
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- Yeah.
(door closing)
00:04:55.834 --> 00:04:59.541
- So, uh, is Caroline
Jeff\'s aunt or something?
00:04:59.542 --> 00:05:02.207
- Ah... that\'s
his new girlfriend.
00:05:02.208 --> 00:05:03.624
(laughing)
Yeah, isn\'t she...
00:05:03.625 --> 00:05:06.124
I mean... you know?
- Oh my.
00:05:06.125 --> 00:05:08.666
- Sex, you know?
00:05:08.667 --> 00:05:10.791
(inhaling, sighing)
00:05:10.792 --> 00:05:13.208
- Are you okay?
00:05:14.166 --> 00:05:15.249
- I\'m...
00:05:15.250 --> 00:05:16.457
(fierce knocking)
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(fire alarm ringing)
Hester!
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Hester! You were supposed
to stir them!
00:05:21.750 --> 00:05:25.208
(indistinct shouting)
Turn it off!
00:05:26.792 --> 00:05:30.165
Open the door!
- There\'s a bird...
00:05:30.166 --> 00:05:32.290
(cawing)
(screaming)
00:05:32.291 --> 00:05:35.417
- Get a broom.
(shouting)
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- Got it! It\'s out.
- Bird in the house.
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You know what that means.
(sighing)
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- It means I need a little more
room in the kitchen.
00:05:43.750 --> 00:05:45.416
Just for a second.
- Okay, darlin\'.
00:05:45.417 --> 00:05:47.040
- Well, thanks.
- Good luck!
00:05:47.041 --> 00:05:49.041
- Thank you!
00:05:50.083 --> 00:05:53.666
- So...
- What... is this?
00:05:53.667 --> 00:05:55.332
(sniffing)
- \"Côte-de-Beaune\", you said.
00:05:55.333 --> 00:05:58.833
- I said \"Du-Rhône\".
- Oh. Oh, this is just \"Beaune\".
00:05:58.834 --> 00:06:01.374
So, so, what do you think
of Caroline?
00:06:01.375 --> 00:06:04.999
- Well, she seems...
- \"Old\"? You think she\'s old?
00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:06.082
- I didn\'t say... No.
00:06:06.083 --> 00:06:08.165
- Because I gotta tell ya,
the...
00:06:08.166 --> 00:06:09.833
- What?
- The physical aspect is...
00:06:09.834 --> 00:06:12.958
- Well, that\'s fine...
- The sex is just...
00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:14.666
- T.M.I! Oh...! T.M.I.
00:06:14.667 --> 00:06:17.874
- Yeah, sure. Sure. Right.
00:06:17.875 --> 00:06:19.374
(Chuck shivering)
00:06:19.375 --> 00:06:20.833
I\'m gonna go sneak a cigarette.
00:06:20.834 --> 00:06:23.374
- Sure.
- Don\'t tell Caroline.
00:06:23.375 --> 00:06:26.542
- Okay.
(modern jazz music)
00:06:31.166 --> 00:06:33.917
(indistinct chatter)
00:07:00.291 --> 00:07:02.834
(spinning)
00:07:12.458 --> 00:07:15.208
(indistinct chatter)
00:07:21.375 --> 00:07:24.374
(sighing): Hey.
(Sylvie): Hey.
00:07:24.375 --> 00:07:29.250
Sorry for the craziness.
- Oh, it\'s fine.
00:07:30.500 --> 00:07:33.374
- Thanks.
00:07:33.375 --> 00:07:35.125
(kissing)
00:07:36.166 --> 00:07:37.791
(inhaling)
00:07:37.792 --> 00:07:40.041
Smells amazing!
00:07:40.834 --> 00:07:41.750
(sipping)
00:07:41.751 --> 00:07:43.999
Are you ready?
- Mm!
00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:47.082
- Dinner\'s ready!
(exclaiming)
00:07:47.083 --> 00:07:47.959
- Okay, here we go.
00:07:47.960 --> 00:07:49.124
- Let\'s go.
- Here we go.
00:07:49.125 --> 00:07:51.416
(indistinct chatter)
- The smell is just killing me.
00:07:51.417 --> 00:07:53.165
- Where\'s my wine?
- Where\'s my wine?
00:07:53.166 --> 00:07:56.874
- Do we take our wine in?
- Bring your drinks.
00:07:56.875 --> 00:07:58.958
- Okay.
00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:00.416
(cheering)
00:08:00.417 --> 00:08:03.749
- That is incredible.
(glass tinkling)
00:08:03.750 --> 00:08:05.916
(barking)
- Okay, a toast. A toast!
00:08:05.917 --> 00:08:09.541
- Oh, God! Is this going
to take long?
00:08:09.542 --> 00:08:10.791
- Yes. Very. Uh...
00:08:10.792 --> 00:08:12.582
To new friends...
- Okay?
00:08:12.583 --> 00:08:15.791
- And old.
- Careful there, Jeff.
00:08:15.792 --> 00:08:19.124
- Uh, to conjugal life.
(laughter)
00:08:19.125 --> 00:08:20.833
- Where is he going with this?
00:08:20.834 --> 00:08:22.707
- To a new life and...
messy life!
00:08:22.708 --> 00:08:25.332
And to living and life!
(cheering)
00:08:25.333 --> 00:08:28.749
- To life!
- Dig in, everybody.
00:08:28.750 --> 00:08:29.417
Then he\'ll stop.
00:08:29.418 --> 00:08:33.375
(Django Reinhardt-style music)
(inhaling)
00:08:36.458 --> 00:08:38.374
- Well done, Hester!
00:08:38.375 --> 00:08:41.583
(indistinct chatter)
(lively music)
00:09:50.625 --> 00:09:53.458
Subtitling: CNST, Montreal
