CQ (2001)

66% of critics liked it
(73 reviews)
64% of users liked it
(5,002 ratings)

The feature debut of Roman Coppola (son of Oscar-winning director Francis Ford Coppola) centers around an international film crew making a low-budget, Barbarella-like feature in Paris in 1969. The film is called Dragonfly and is being directed by Andrzej (Gérard Depardieu), who wishes to make a… More The feature debut of Roman Coppola (son of Oscar-winning director Francis Ford Coppola) centers around an international film crew making a low-budget, Barbarella-like feature in Paris in 1969. The film is called Dragonfly and is being directed by Andrzej (Gérard Depardieu), who wishes to make a revolutionary work rather than the tacky fluff it is becoming. He is soon fired by the film's Italian producer Enzo (Giancarlo Giannini) when he can't produce a satisfactory climactic scene. After briefly replacing Andrzej with an American horrormeister named Felix DeMarco (Jason Schwartzman), the film's editor and second-unit director, the job is finally handed to Paul (Jeremy Davies). Paul is pleased with the offer, but more devoted to his 16 mm filming of his diary of daily life. He eventually begins to fall for the leading lady (Angela Lindvall), but must retrieve footage of the feature stolen by Andrezej and try to keep the troubled production together. CQ features Billy Zane, Massimo Ghini, and Dean Stockwell in supporting roles. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Roman Coppola
Written By: Roman Coppola
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: May 24, 2002 Limited
On DVD: Sep 10, 2002
Studio: United Artists Pictures/MGM

Critic Reviews

Loren King, Chicago Tribune
A film that is visually compelling and highly entertaining in an in-jokey sort of way.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
Coppola's observational and satirical skills are impressive.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
The cinema-awareness of CQ is such that it looks as if it was made by and for someone who has seen every movie imaginable but hasn't lived yet.
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
It's not much of anything, apart from eye candy.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
CQ has a modicum of IQ and a dash of style.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
A charming, spirited movie for cinephiles, or those who aspire to be.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
There's nothing much to the film besides its pretty-coolness. Fundamentally it goes nowhere and says nothing.
Betsy Bozdech, Reel.com
CQ is so enamored of its own stylish, stylized world that it occasionally seems to forget that someone besides Coppola is watching.
Chris Gore, Film Threat
Funny to me, but maybe not for everyone. Hell, I don't care, you're either in the category of the type of person who will like this or you're not. The choice is yours, but anyone pre-disposed to like this type of film will be happy they took the trip.
Susan Michals, FilmStew.com
An attention arousing entree
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Click to read review
Marcy Dermansky, About.com
Roman Coppola's directorial debut "CQ" is a treat. A fluffy delight.
Steven Snyder, Zertinet Movies
The movie plays out like a over-budget student film that lacks any of the competence and patience of an experienced director.
Jean Lowerison, San Diego Metropolitan
CQ will likely appeal to a younger crowd, who may not catch all the cinematic references but will love the mishmash nature of this cinematic stew.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
Love alone does not make a film watchable, no matter how much of it there is. Davies and company are up to the task, but the material is weak. Coppola has a lot of ideas; he just needs to find a more coherent, entertaining way of expressing them.
Jason Clark, Matinee Magazine
Lumbering, misguided mess
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...by attempting to be all things to all people--a comedy, a drama, a treatise on filmmaking, a treatise on self-fulfillment, etc.--it ends up being very little at all.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...the sum of the parts equals largely a confused mediocrity.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Lorenzo v

"What is Real? What is Art? What is...the End?" A young filmmaker in 1960s Paris juggles directing a cheesy sci-fi debacle, directing his own personal art film, coping with his crumbling relationship with his girlfriend, and a new-found infatuation with… More
"What is Real? What is Art? What is...the End?" A young filmmaker in 1960s Paris juggles directing a cheesy sci-fi debacle, directing his own personal art film, coping with his crumbling relationship with his girlfriend, and a new-found infatuation with the sci-fi film's starlet. <center>REVIEW</center> Filmmaker Roman Coppola proves to be a chip off the old block (his dad is Francis Ford, duh!) with this sweetly dark comic valentine to foreign films of France and Italy focusing on a struggling film editor/auteur wannabe (Davies in all his squirmy, milquetoasty glory) assigned to a disastrous sci-fi B flick where he winds up being a replacement director and falls deeply in love with his gorgeous starlet (Lindvall, the epitome of sex echoing the leonine good looks of Catherine Deneuve at her start) in the process. Coppola has a keen technical sense incorporating set and production design, costumes, camerawork, editing and low-key acting to make a picture perfect ode to the hurly-burly world of filmmaking then and now. If there is a criticism it is that it is a bit slight in its theme (filmmaker's navel gazing fails to see the big picture: love is all around) yet there's a nice homage to Coppola's relationship with his famous father in the interplay between Davies and his onscreen father Stockwell, an absent-minded businessman, echoing nicely. The title is a play on Seek You = CQ.
Robert C

A visually stunnig (2002) film that takes place in Italy in 1969, whose plot revolves around the making of a Sci-Fi film meant to take place in the far-off and distant future of the year 2000. It is also a look at the inner workings of the film industry and the struggle of one… More
A visually stunnig (2002) film that takes place in Italy in 1969, whose plot revolves around the making of a Sci-Fi film meant to take place in the far-off and distant future of the year 2000. It is also a look at the inner workings of the film industry and the struggle of one editor turned director, to create a career making film while not allowing his obsession with that films star (Dragonfly) ruin his relationship with his (Real Life) girlfriend who also happens to be the star of HIS own side project which is based on his personal life. While the story is a bit convoluted at times...there is enough here (especially visually) to keep fans of film interested (especially fans of Sci-Fi and/or Italian cinema). And (call me crazy) but I would REALLY like to see the finished Sci-Fi film: "Codename Dragonfly" (think Barbarella meets Austin Powers) in it's entirety. Perhaps as an 'extra' on the DVD?
Ken S

Would be interesting if anything actually happened.
Michael G

Visually great but lacking in story.