A Journey Worth Discovering

Romance, food, travel. This film has everything going for it, including subtle, heartfelt performances by the four lead actors. Love it the fist time we saw it, and it's even better in subsequent viewings. It's a Hundred Foot Journey worth taking.

Helen Mirren, the new Meryl Streep, is utterly convincing as stuffy French restaurant owner Madame Mallory. Her one Michelin starred restaurant is the only game in town, destroying the competition. That is, until the Kadam family enters the village- along with equally feisty Papa (Om Puri) and opens a restaurant right across the street. 

In an expected plot turn, young chef Hassan discovers that the lovely and single lady helping his family in distress is none other than the competition's sous chef Marguerite.  Love enraptures, success brings separation, and love eventually succeeds. Yes, you understand all this even before the opening lines of dialogue, but the actors are so pleasant to watch, you don't mind it a bit. Manish Dayal is perfectly cast, as is his love Charlotte Le Bon. 

Surprisingly, the star of the film is not the food. The exotic locales are smartly played to draw you in and make you forget it's really a foodie film. (And make you run to IMDB to discover exactly where in France this charming village is located.) Much like Tortilla Soup, it's a story driven, character rich film, and it is worth spending a very pleasant afternoon to watch it. 

If you can find it, that is.

Hundred-Foot Journey to Pleasure

Romance, food, travel. This film has everything going for it, including subtle, heartfelt performances by the four lead actors. 

Helen Mirren, the new Meryl Streep, is utterly convincing as stuffy French restaurant owner Madame Mallory. Her one Michelin starred restaurant is the only game in town, destroying the competition. That is, until the Kadam family enters the village- along with equally feisty Papa (Om Puri) and opens a restaurant right across the street. 

In an expected plot turn, young chef Hassan discovers that the lovely and single lady helping his family in distress is none other than the competition's sous chef Marguerite.  Love enraptures, success brings separation, and love eventually succeeds. Yes, you understand all this even before the opening lines of dialogue, but the actors are so pleasant to watch, you don't mind it a bit. Manish Dayal is perfectly cast, as is his love Charlotte Le Bon. 

Surprisingly, the star of the film is not the food. The exotic locales are smartly played to draw you in and make you forget it's really a foodie film. (And make you run to IMDB to discover exactly where in France this charming village is located.) Much like Tortilla Soup, it's a story driven, character rich film, and it is worth spending a very pleasant afternoon to watch it.

Not Top of the Class

Just saw Monsters University. It's a good film, full of heart and an interesting story, but something is missing. Certainly better than many things out there now, but given Pixar and their reputation for world class films, I was a tad bit disappointed.

Monsters Inc. is one of my most loved Pixar creations, so I was extremely excited to see more adventures with Mike and Sully. My wife thinks the lack of "door action" slowed the pace and interest of the film. Perhaps. I'm a bit more inclined to think it was the familiarity with the storyline, as the "opposites attract" buddy story is a staple of Hollywood films. 

The animation is top notch. The environments stunningly beautiful. John Goodman and Billy Crystal are terrific, but it's Helen Mirren as the dean that propels the plot in a way both harsh, blunt, and eventually with heart. No spoilers here. I will say the first half is a solid "A" grade film, and the second half still a solid "B".  The big question: Will I buy it on DVD? Perhaps...

(Art copyright Disney/ Pixar.)