Julie & Julia (Nora Ephron, 2009)
A film about food, blogging, and the pleasure to cook... Humm... Why not they are three your host on LMdC quite enjoys. I must admit I am a big fan of the Food Network and food is one of my passions, I love to eat. It comforts me and it always has been a pleasure for me. I am a gourmand if you want to know. I’m always hungry and I can eat a dozen of donuts just after diner. I’m never empty! Those who know me for a while know that when I was a teenager I almost weight 200 pounds. Now, thanks to Hockey, Snowboarding, skateboarding I’m around 165 which is better for my health, I guess.
Enough of me, let’s talk about this enjoyable light comedy that tells the parallel story of two real women and their lives with their understanding and supporting husbands. It’s almost a feminist film without the statement and the angry activists. The film itself was directed by a Nora Ephron a capable director and acted by two of the greatest actresses working today, Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. I must say that only the name Meryl Streep will make me watch any movie, so I was already in for the thing but Amy Adams. Well, with her performance in The Fighter and in Julie & Julia I must admit that I think she is one of the excellent actresses out there. If she continues to choose smart roles she is a potential multi-Oscars winner.
The story, Julie Powell (Amy Adams) has a job she hates and wishes she was a writer. One day she decides she must do something meaningful in her life because she will be turning 30 soon. As many writers wannabe, she started a blog about cooking, a joy she has in life. Her goal is to cook all the recipes from Julia Child’s first book in one year. Parallel to that we have the making of this book by Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and how she began to cook and become the greatest cook in America. This might not be the script of the decade but it’s funny and quite enjoyable. This is also the case of two success stories of two women who by the vehicule of their passion surpassed their ennui and made their mark, starting from scratch.
Streep’s portrayal of Julia Child is unbelievable, I remember, when in 2002 I went to Washington and visited the Smithsonian where Child’s kitchen is reproduced. I did not knew who the woman was at all! But now I understand that she brought French food for the American families’ table. As always, I love every Meryl Streep role and no I haven't seen Mamma Mia! and I'm trying to forget it really happened. From The Deer Hunter to The Devil Wears Prada Meryl Streep always brings her A-game.
Julie & Julia isn’t exactly Inglourious Basterds, The Hurt Locker, or Das Weisse Band (the best films of 2009) but still a nice little flick that stands above the average popcorn movies of the multiplexes of today.
Good review. I found this a decent film but nothing to write home about. I enjoyed Streep's portrayal of Julia Child (and Stanley Tucci as her husband) but the Amy Adams plot annoyed me. I like her in most things but she got a really obnoxious character in this film. Still, not a bad way to pass a few hours.
ReplyDeleteLike you said not a bad way to pass a few hours. I like Amy Adams because it's Amy Adams. The character she portrays isn't actually really sympathic but she manage to give a good performance after all.
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