JULIE & JULIA: REVIEW
Meet
Julia Child, an original masterchef who loved nothing more than conjuring up feather
light soufflés, delicate pastries and steaming pots of beef Bourgogne.
Hungry yet? You will be.
The latter became her signature dish
but her kitchen escapes covered a whole lot more territory of taste bud pleasing
- even if in this current weight watching climate. The liberal amounts of butter
and cooking oils shouldn't deter from the glorious food being prepared before
your eyes.
During the 1940's, after a stint in World War 2
with U.S intelligence services, Julia Child by chance became a popular television
chef. Producing both grace and gumption in the kitchen, her unique style won her
a lot of followers. The other name in the title refers to Julie Powell (Amy Adams).
She is feeling a little under-appreciated and unloved by all around her at the
moment - even from her own husband. To make a difference, she decides to recreate
Julie Child's famous book 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking, 524 dishes, 365
days'. A book which due to the movie has recently hit the bestseller lists all
over again.
Whilst blogging about her progress, Julie also
begins to get a loyal fan base as did the wacky chef who left a legacy before
her. This leads to pressure that Julie may not be able to handle, her hopes of
culinary triumph could end in tears. The film moves in and out of two timeframes
catering for the stories and the two women to almost interweave with each other.
Paris in the 1940's is where Julia Child spent most of her adult years living
with her ever loving, patient and caring husband.
Bored with
the regular housewife duties, Julia signs up for cooking lessons at the famous
Le Cordon Bleu. Upon graduating, she connects with two other ladies who spend
the next decade writing and rewriting a collection of mostly random Parisian recipes
which would inturn inspire Julie Powell all those years later.
Not
to be confused with the 1988 thriller starring Kathleen Turner and Sting, 'Julia
And Julia', 'Julie & Julia' is a chick flick, not just because it's directed
by the writer of the classic 'When Harry Met Sally', Nora Ephron, but it involves
all the elements for a strong female story.
The average film
watcher may think this doesn't sound interesting at all. Wrong! This is more than
just a biographical story of a loud and life-loving TV cook. It goes without saying,
there's enthusiastic performances from two of the screen's great actresses in
Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, who also both appeared together recently in 'Doubt'.
However, it is a tale of emotions at the core, from celebrations to unfathomable
heartaches, this is an all round good movie.
Meryl Streep
has the mannerisms and charms to actually be Julia, made to be over six feet tall,
as Julia in fact was, Meryl will possibly receive yet another Best Actress nomination
for the capturing performance. Stanley Tucci is a quiet achiever in many films,
as the laid back happy husband, opposed to his wife - the livewire Julia. He displays
a fine unassuming contrast and brings many of the lighter moments to the fore.
A
perfect movie for a ladies day out, but as a warning, I suggest 'Julie & Julia'
not to be seen on an empty stomach. This is a delightful tale and another tick
for the brilliance of Meryl Streep.
Shane A. Bassett
