Julie & Julia...Just Smashing!

Ebullient, passionate, dedicated to her quest, Chef Julia Child changed the face of American cooking. Her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, was a culinary bridge between two continents. Julie & Julia is a story of spirit, ambition, and a tangle of emotions. I love all the elements of this flick. Food and writing, I’m home! A Francophile, I adored the classic French architecture and café society backdrop. If you are a somewhat refined man or aspiring chef, you will appreciate Julie & Julia. If you are a chic, get ready to archive this latest ‘chic flick’ alongside Nora Ephron’s other great productions. In fact, it’s getting to the point if I see Ephron on the credits I know it’s a winner.

Meryl Streep…is there no end to this woman’s talent? Streep disappears from view with her perfect characterization of Julia Child. I see an Academy Award nomination on the horizon. Stanley Tucci keeps in step with Streep with his outstanding performance of Julia’s husband and most loyal supporter. Newcomer, Amy Adams showcases her actor range superbly… utterly charming and worthy company with Streep and Tucci.
Amy’s character, modern day Julie sets out on a quest to cook every recipe, 524, in Julia Child’s cookbook and blog it day by day for a year. The two eras play symbiotically like bread and butter. And speaking of butter…both Julia Child and her husband lived into their nineties…perhaps there is something to be said for beurre (butter) after all. Or maybe it is just that she was one of the fortunate that found and followed her passion… doing what she loved in life, a key ingredient in the recipe for longevity.
Hats off to producers for a movie almost free of offensive and unnecessary expletives. Tucci uses the ‘f’ word once. That one word threw the ratings on this movie into a different category making it not viewable to a certain age group. (lost revenue) Tucci could have said, “Forget them!” or any number of alternatives without losing impact. It was a relief not to hear God’s name taken in vain.
Julie & Julia satisfies but stock up on popcorn…watching all that delicious food being prepared makes you hungry!