Wow! Such a good movie.

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

I lived in France then got back to Portugal. I know many emigrants and many French people. Many different kind of each. And I can say that I saw almost all of them in the movie, and that's amazing. For most of the people, the movie is very good, for Portuguese people, it is fantastic, but for Portuguese emigrants (or former) in France, it is really over the top! Congratulation Ruben Alves, tu contastes une histoire comme deve ser, caraille! ;) There is small details that could have been handled better. Lourdes and Maria have a different level of french (strange for sisters, considering that Lourdes speaks perfect french). It would have been better if José had a bit more of Portuguese accent. Another detail, since they are from the north (Douro, use of B instead of V), Fado doesn't have much (not to say nothing) to do with it. They should be listening Rancho, and eventually Pimba music that is far more popular.

The most successful movie of the year so far in Portugal and France, La Cage Dorée is a dramatic like comedy about a Portuguese family emigrated in France for 30 years. Ruben Alves, the director, is himself the son of a Portuguese couple emigrated in France, being La Cage Dorée an homage to his own parents. And what an homage! La Cage Dorée is the perfect depiction of that generation of Portuguese emigrants, the hard working, humble and low self esteemed employees that refuse to forget the simple things they love in Portugal, such as good food, beer, football and even gossip. Having a part of my family emigrated in France as well, I was astonished by how accurate and real this representation was, mixing french and Portuguese in the dialog. Plus the gap between french-Portuguese youth and this older generation is masterfully recreated, being hard to find anyone in the audience that would not connect with this movie. The characters are rich and detailed, with very good interpretations, particularly by Rita Blanco with a character that will reach you. The directing goes well with the line of modern french cinema of the likes of François Ozon, with beautiful photography, great picture plans and a very fine dose of European humor. La Cage Dorée was indeed a very positive surprise, standing as a role model for Portuguese and even french movies to come. Visit thefadingcam blog for more!

This quote can be applied to lots of things. Your good health. The love of your life. Or losing your index finger in a freak accident. It also fits Ruben Alves' first directorial feature. Headlined by veteran actors Rita Blanco and Joaquim de Almeida, the film is one of the year's biggest sleeper hits in France and, so far, the most successful movie of the year in Portugal.All in all, it fulfilled my expectations. I never had a 'wow' moment, but it's easy to see how it attracts audiences en masse. It's a well-executed non-offensive comedy with the right amount of drama to make it accessible and enjoyable for viewers from all age-groups. The serious moments mostly arise from the family members' inner conflict of being forced to choose between their Portuguese roots and their home away from home in France.I felt Alves did a convincing job early on exploring the characters and depicting how every Ribeiro found his very own way of adapting to life in France without neglecting their Portuguese origins. When everybody finds out about the family possibly leaving and tries to do their best to keep them and their workforce, it becomes a bit messy though. Especially the revenge acts of the heads of the family feel out of place. We need to remember that the old lady with her divine flowers and Monsieur Cailaux have been close with the Ribeiros for decades and they knew their actions would hurt them a lot financially and emotionally. Their children hooking up also seemed like nothing more than a happy coincidence. The feelings are real and happened before the start of the movie, long before the vineyard. Strangely enough, the only person who would have deserved a tongue-lashing, Maria's sister, whose curiosity triggered the whole tohubohu, and came up with, by far, the most vile fantasy, got off very lightly.What was excellent, however, again was the way the movie ended. The director got himself in a position where I thought 75 minutes into the film, no way he can find a way to end this on a high note that makes the audience leave the cinema with a smile. But he did. I wouldn't say "La cage dorée" (The Gilded Cage) is a must-see, but if you're into family comedies, if French or Portuguese films are your cup of Marriage Frères or you're simply always on the lookout for films that broaden your horizon when it comes to foreign cultures, it's definitely worth checking out. Bon Noite!

Let's say it first, members of the Portuguese community will probably like this movie more than the average viewer, particularly regarding all the little details (verbal tics for example). But is it really abnormal for that type of movie ?In this sense, it must be noted that Ruben Alves, to his credit, managed to depict this community with sincerity, accuracy and tenderness. The gallery of characters, from the main to the supporting, is outstanding and perfectly played by all the actors (to think Rita Blanco didn't speak French before shooting is incredible !).The plot is very classic, but the quality of the dialogues, actors and mise-en-scène easily compensate for this lack of originality and make La Cage Dorée a very enjoyable movie.