The Hundred-Foot Journey: Review

"To cook, you must kill. You cook to make ghosts." ~ Mama Kadam

H okey or sappy are two words that one might choose to describe Steven Spielberg's and Oprah Winfrey's new film, "The Hundred-Foot Journey." Director Lasse Hallström ("What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "Chocolat," "The Cider House Rules") brings to the big screen an adaptation of Richard C. Morais's novel of the same name.  A look at the aspirations of a young man with a talent in the culinary arts pursue his goal at being the best, but in the process learn about who he really is and what makes him the happiest. Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is a young man, who with his family, escapes political turmoil in his home country. Papa Kadam (Om Puri), Hassan's father decides he, and his family will move to the south of France and start anew. Moving to the remote town of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, they set up an Indian restaurant across the street from a Michelin starred restaurant ran by Madam Mallory played by the Queen herself, Helen Mirren. "The Hundred-Foot Journey" runs a little over two hours and is rated PG>

Hallström's film deals with a clash of cultures as the Kadam family movies in 100 feet from Mallory's French restaurant. Papa, guided by the spirit of the wife he lost in a fire caused by political vandals in their home country, feels that it is time that the French try some of his son's extraordinary Indian cuisine. The place they purchase is rundown, but with some good hard work and plenty of Indian flavored elbow grease, the family turns the place around and opens the doors to customers. Of course, there are some competitive hijinks, when Mallory gets a hold of the "Maison Mumbai's" menu for opening day. A spiteful Mallory runs to the market and buys all the fish (that was on the new menu) so the family has to go out of town to buy the ingredients fresh and causes them to have to rush their opening day meal.

Meanwhile, Hassan becomes enamored with Mallory's sous chef, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon). At first, the two's flirtations are innocent, as they are both in the same field, but as the film progresses, and Hassan's talents in the kitchen become more obvious, the two begin to move into opposite corners. Early in their courtship, the two have a picnic in the woods, Marguerite is trying Hassan's versions of the five basic sauces, Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise, and Tomate. During this picnic, Marguerite tells Hassan that Madam Mallory can tell a great chef by having the chef prepare a simple omelette.  

"My mother didn't teach me how to cook.  She taught me how to taste."  ~ Hassan Kadam

Some cute and hilarious moments occur as the battle of chefs and restaurants kicks up, and Hallström cuts between the various members of the kitchen staff, as they are slicing and dicing, prepping and braising, cooking and baking as they fight for culinary victory.  Throughout the film, the director indulges in a very sensual version of food porn as the camera lingers lovingly from one dish to the next.  Not only that, the chemistry between the 31 year-old Manish Dayal and the 28 year-old Charlotte Le Bon begins to simmer.  

As the differences between the cultures begin to fade, and Hassan, in a joint venture between Papa and Mallory, wins another Michelin star for the French restaurant.  This is a joyous moment; after all, Mallory has only been waiting thirty years for her second star.  If you are not aware (just in case), The Michelin brothers, you know the company that makes tires and of Bib, the Michelin man fame, created a travel guide that rates restaurants and awards them stars.  What we learn from "The Hundred-Foot Journey" is that, "one star means the food is good.  Two stands for great.  "Three is only for the gods." 

"Food is memory." ~ Marguerite

"The Hundred-Foot Journey" is not a bad film, nor is it a great film.  If I did ratings as the Michelin Guide book does, then this film would be on Michelin starred film.  Hallström's directing and Linus Sandgren's cinematography, depicts the French countryside beautifully, and the town itself during the Bastille Day celebrations reminded me of the Disneyland castle.  Mirren, who is reported to speak French fluently, does a wonderful, but limited job playing the spiteful Madam Mallory.  Unfortunately, she isn't wicked enough to provide any real threat to the Kadam family.  A scene where Hassan and Mallory make an omelette together, although seductively filmed, requires quite a bit of suspension of belief.  As Hassan's hands are bandage due to burns, he and Mallory make the Omelette of the gods, he directs and she does the work.  After she tastes the omelette, she declares him her new chef and wants him to join her staff.  I get that some people have the culinary gift; however, I have watched enough of the food channel to know that cooking is an art that requires a certain level of skill and technique that a chef must have to create delicious food.  

Manish Dayal is a handsome American actor of Indian descent that portrays the young Hassan with a certain blend of down to earthiness, and that of a dreamer and romantic.  However, as a chef, I didn't see the hustle and the frenetic rushing around that I see and hear about in highly regarded restaurants.  I didn't see any of what Anthony Bourdain calls, "a mix of unwavering order and nerve shattering chaos.”  Instead, the kitchen scenes were mostly fluid and beautifully choreographed like a ballet.  Charlotte Le Bon's Marguerite is smart, pretty, but somewhat naive.  But perhaps that is what this world needs is a bit more innocence.  

"Just because I ask for a discount doesn't mean I am poor.  It means I am thrifty." ~ Papa Kadam

The character I liked the most was Papa, played by renowned Indian actor Om Puri.  Puri has won many awards in own country and was awarded the Order of the British Empire by the Queen of England for his work in the British film Industry.  Obstinate and determined to bring to Europe the best that his culture has to offer.  Papa is both a superstitious and a pragmatic man, who deals with his family's expulsion from India, and setbacks in starting his restaurant with determination and hope.  As part of the diversity lesson that this film wants us to keep in mind, getting to know Om Puri is a delight and asks the question, can we see more actors that are Indian in Western films.  

The lessons that Hallström, and for that matter, Spielberg and Winfrey want to get across is that diversity is good, and should be welcomed, rather than feared and abhorred.  Yes, all of that is good, however, at some point in the film, I began to feel oppressed withe message.  Another theme that "The Hundred-Foot Journey" wants to instill is that no matter where you seek for happiness you will always find it in your own home, if you just look carefully.  I call this the "The Blue Bird" effect.  Based on the play by Maurice Maeterlinck and a 1940 film starring the late Shirley Temple Black, where taking a long and arduous journey that leads you back to your own home.  Most of the film is fantastical in a contrived sort of way.  The journey in this film is the meeting of cultures, mindsets, and the search for happiness that is clearly only 100 feet away.  If you believe in miracles then this film is for you.  That is probably why we need to see films like this from time to time, to get a moral and spiritual pick-me-up.  If anything at all, watching this film has inspired me to read the book.

Movie Data

Genre: Drama

Year:  2014

Staring: Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon

Director: Lasse Hallström

Producer(s): Juliet Blake, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey

Writer: Steven Knight, Richard C. Morais (novel)

Rating: PG

Running Time: 122 minutes

Release Date: 8/8/2014

Chef: Jon Favreau's Fun, Fresh, Feel-good, Family, Food Fest

John Favreau's summer film "Chef," may not make tons of money, but it will make many people happy.  "Chef" is a story of one man's search for happiness and finding it at the most essential level: food, family, and personal self-worth.  Jon Favreau ("Iron Man," "Elf," "Zathura") leads us on a journey that celebrates the art of food, music, friends, traveling, and family.  "Chef" is loosely based on Chef Roy Choi who was chef de cuisine at the Beverly Hilton in 2007 and then left to follow his passion by creating a menu that could be sold from a food truck.  Favreau wrote, directed, and stars in "Chef" with an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. ("Sherlock Holmes," "Iron Man," "Less Than Zero"), Scarlett Johansson ("Iron Man 2," "The Prestige"), John Leguizamo ("To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar," "Ice Age") and Dustin Hoffman ("Rain Man," "Tootsie").  Sofia Vergara, ("Modern Family") plays Favreau's ex-wife.  She is the semi-mythical hot sexy ex-wife who will do anything for her ex-husband.  Yeah, that's her. There is a saying in show business about never starring with kids and animals, as they will always steal all the scenes.  That is exactly what Emjay Anthony ("It's Complicated") does as he plays Favreau's and Vergara's 10 year-old son.  Oliver Platt has a few scenes as the staunch food critic that 'ruins' Favreau's character's career.  The MPAA gave "Chef" an R rating for language, and some suggestive male bonding references.  The film runs just under 2 hours and worth every minute.

Be forewarned this film has some scenes that can only be categorized as 'Food Porn.'  For 'El Jefe' Chef Carl Casper (Favreau) who is at the peak of his career as chef de cuisine at a respected Los Angeles restaurant, owned by Riva (Hoffman).  As usual, Carl's day is busy and revolves around dinner at the restaurant.  Hurriedly he must go to the market, find ingredients, and pick up his 10 year-old son to take him to school, get back to the restaurant, and get the line cooks prepping for dinner.  Unlike "Hell's  Kitchen's" celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, or British comedian Lenny Henry from the old BBC TV show "Chef!," Carl conducts his kitchen in a professional and respectful manner when motivating his kitchen staff including his two line cooks, Tony (Bobby Cannavale) and Martin (Leguizamo).  That night, food critic and blogger Ramsey Michel (Platt) is coming to review the restaurant, and most importantly, the food.  Carl wants a new exciting menu that is creative and fresh.  Riva wants the same tried and successful menu that has worked for a good part of 10 years.  Needless to say, as perfect as the meal was, Ramsey Michel gave Casper and company a horrible ad hominem shots at Carl about his weight and lack of creativity.  While contemplating how he is going to come back from this humiliation, he talks 'dirty' to restaurant host and Carl's current love interest, Molly, played by the lovely Scarlett Johansson.  When I say talking dirty, I mean the decadence that is fine food created by a master chef.

Although the year is 2014, many people aren't technically inclined as others and Carl falls in with the technically challenged crowd when it comes to Social Networking.  This is where Percy (Emjay Anthony) comes in.  Armed with a cell phone, Percy is Facebook, Twitter savvy, and helps his dad get onto Twitter.  Carl asks, 'This is just like texting, right?'  Percy, tells him no, but it's clear Carl doesn't get it when he starts flaming Ramsey on Twitter thinking the texts are private.  

After a throw down where Carl not only loses his job as head Chef, he also loses his mind and has a meltdown that another restaurant patron felt obliged to capture for YouTube, he finds himself a flash in the pan of an Internet sensation.  

Throughout the scenes leading up to his exit from Riva's, Carl performs for the camera some amazing culinary prep work, and displays the magic in making the most extraordinary and mouthwatering grilled cheese I ever saw.  When I was a kid, on Sunday afternoons, my parents would take my brother and I to a little restaurant in the Santa Ynez valley just north of Santa Barbara. That is where I would watch (and take mental notes) of the proprietor making a proper Grilled Cheese sandwich with plenty of butter, sourdough bread grilled to perfection, and cheese melted into liquid gold.  The menu for Ramsey Michel's visit includes but not limited to Caviar Egg, French Onion Soup, and Filet Mignon, and for desert, Carl serves his famous chocolate lava cake.  For the throw down, which Carl prepares while at home includes a roast pork belly, with a garlic chili paste rubs, on an heirloom carrot purée with green salsa and pickled radishes.  He also makes a spicy octopus stir-fry that looks mouthwatering.  To go with the stir-fry Carl cooks up a well-seasoned ribeye steak seared to perfection, sliced thinly, and served with roasted potatoes, cauliflower, lemon, and garlic.  For desert, Chef Casper creates a dessert with macerated berries, and real whipping cream.  Unfortunately, Chef Casper never actually allows Ramsey to sample his new fresh menu delights.  

Baking is a science, but cooking is an art, and so is filmmaking.  Sometimes people like what you cook or the film you made or the painting you created, and sometimes they don't.  Like all art, it is subjective and that is where ex-wife Inez (Vergara) comes in.  She knows that his food is excellent and although she and Carl are divorced, their son Percy ties them together.  Seeing that her ex-husband isn't happy with his life, she makes him an offer to start over.  The couple started in Miami, and that is where Carl's initial inspiration came from.  In Miami, they visit the nightclub where Inez's father plays in a salsa band.  Abuelito (Jose C. Hernandez) leads the house in playing Salsa favorites that get the house and the audience moving.  Later, Abuelito reminds Carl that his sandwiches are the best Cuban sandwiches and should make one for his son.  Carl says the food you buy off the street in Miami is better, but finds himself intrigued with the idea.  Inez says she can arrange a meeting with her ex-husband Marvin (Robert Downey Jr.) who can help him get started in the Food Truck business.  As usual, Downey plays an eccentric entrepreneur, who like "Mad Men's" Burt Cooper, doesn't like shoes touching his floors.  Wearing booties, Carl and Marvin's conversation weaves around the subject and the awkwardness that only two ex-husbands of the same woman can conjure up.  The food truck Marvin gives him is a 'fixer-upper' but ultimately, like anything else in this world, with hard work and some love can actually shine.  With the help from Martin, his loyal line cook from LA, and his son's need for a father, the three of them put together one badass food truck.  What kind of food will they sell?  Cuban sandwiches of course. 

Of the music, one can say that the soundtrack is liberally seasoned with R&B and Salsa hits such as Al Green's "Tired of Being Alone,"  Jose C. Hernandez's "La Quimbumba," and Willie Colon "The Hustler," to name a few.  Knowing that one can film a major blockbuster and do it well, allows a cinematographer like Kramer Morgenthau  who was director of photography on "Thor: The Dark World Thor: The Dark World," "Fracture," and a resume that includes a whole slew of television shows like "Game of Thrones," "Boardwalk Empire," and the TV movie "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," to take the simple and direct route.  Morgenthau doesn't try to razzle-dazzle the audience, but instead takes pride in photographing the actors in their best light, and the food as if it were the film's star.  

The journey back to Los Angeles, is inspirational and in some ways somewhat schmaltzy.  Nevertheless, the trio has fun, as they go from one town to another with Percy teaching his dad the art of Social Networking, while Carl shows Percy what kind of dad he really is.  Martin shows us all a unique use for cornstarch during the long night drive in the hot muggy South.  It is said that eating and sharing food is an act of communion, not always religious, but can be very transcendent  In "Chef," the making and sharing of El Jefe's Cuban sandwiches not only puts the fallen chef back on his feet financially but also spiritually.  The cast is exceptional in supporting Favreau's passion film.  It is summer 2014 and the major summer blockbusters are holding the top spots at the box office, however, "Chef" is a film worthy of your time and attention, and when you do see it, makes sure you don't watch it on an empty stomach.  Actually, after watching "Chef," I decided to get my smoker ready, smoked myself a nice pork roast, and made my own Cuban sandwiches for my family and me.

Movie Data

Genre: Comedy

Year:  2014

Staring: Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Emjay Anthony, Sofía Vergara, Robert Downey Jr. 

Director: Jon Favreau

Producer(s): Sergei Bespalov, Sergei Bespalov, Karen Gilchrist, Olga Lesnova

Writer: JamesJon Favreau

Rating: R

Running Time: 114 Minutes

Release Date: 5/30/2014