Bagdad Cafe (1987)

"Jasmin" (Marianne Sägebrecht) arrives after a barney with her husband, with just her suitcase, at a glorified truck stop where the ramshackle motel is run by the feisty "Brenda" (CCH Pounder). What now ensues is a rather whimsical story that sees the latter woman put up the barricades to her new guest, but gradually come to realise that she is a force for good amongst the small, disparate, community that consists of the likes of her typically teenage daughter, her piano-learning son and the enigmatic charmer that is "Rudi" (Jack Palance). He used to work with the great and the good of Hollowyood but now he just wants her to sit for a portrait. Well for starters, anyway. "Jasmin" seems to have purifying effect on the place, she even - must to the chagrin of her host - tidies up, and gradually that soothing, friendly and considerate attitude wears down the hysterical and moody "Brenda" giving the film a certain comfortableness to it. That's not to say it's dull, but it does show us a little of just what some human kindness and consideration can do where it's least expected and that's despite finding sceptical and strong-willed characters who just want to keep doing things as they always have. There's an amiable chemistry between the two women here, Pounder keeps her enthusiasm on the right side of dominating, and Palance brings a gently comedic je ne sais quoi to the proceedings making for a film which makes you smile rather than laugh, and concludes with the ultimate exposition of never judging a book by it's cover...