There are two things that provide this comedy/drama with a certain charm. The first is a fine, well-rounded lead performance and the second is a fly-on-the-wall look at the rarefied world of chefs who provide food to the high and mighty such as presidents, politicians and ambassadors. Turns out it's a not entirely pleasant workplace, since it is marred by evils like sexism, competition, privilege and byzantine quarrels over this style or that.
(Here the viewer will note that the French republic is very similar to the French monarchy, at least when it comes to spending great buckets of tax money in the name of prestige and excellence.)
However I can't say that I found the movie spellbinding. "Watchable but slight and bland" is probably the best description. I kept hoping that it would grow towards some kind of narrative climax, conflict or revelation, but this didn't happen. Moreover, much of the culinary subject matter was less than compelling.
Did President Mitterand like quail eggs in aspic ? Did he prefer his cabbage cooked or pickled ? Did he have fond memories of a cook from Marseilles who slipped him little tomato-based treats when he was small ? Did President Pompidou feel a deep aversion towards over-elaborate puddings ? Did he insist on authentic peasant cuisine from the north-east ? Did President Chirac like turkey sausage with wild garlic ? Did his spouse pick the edible flowers for the cocktails with her own fair hands ? I don't know and I don't care, just as I don't care about the gastronomic tastes of the current French president. The likes and dislikes of a fictional president interest me even less.
The movie should have been more - more extravagant, more spicy, more truthful, more witty, more political, more... Well, just "more" of something.
(Here the viewer will note that the French republic is very similar to the French monarchy, at least when it comes to spending great buckets of tax money in the name of prestige and excellence.)
However I can't say that I found the movie spellbinding. "Watchable but slight and bland" is probably the best description. I kept hoping that it would grow towards some kind of narrative climax, conflict or revelation, but this didn't happen. Moreover, much of the culinary subject matter was less than compelling.
Did President Mitterand like quail eggs in aspic ? Did he prefer his cabbage cooked or pickled ? Did he have fond memories of a cook from Marseilles who slipped him little tomato-based treats when he was small ? Did President Pompidou feel a deep aversion towards over-elaborate puddings ? Did he insist on authentic peasant cuisine from the north-east ? Did President Chirac like turkey sausage with wild garlic ? Did his spouse pick the edible flowers for the cocktails with her own fair hands ? I don't know and I don't care, just as I don't care about the gastronomic tastes of the current French president. The likes and dislikes of a fictional president interest me even less.
The movie should have been more - more extravagant, more spicy, more truthful, more witty, more political, more... Well, just "more" of something.