The Hundred-Foot Journey
(B+ or 3/4 stars)
Okay, let's look at the ingredients if this film: director Lasse Hallstrom (Cider House Rules, Chocolat), Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, a poignant story about life, love, food, & culture clashes in France's rural countryside ... and they all combine to create a delectable cinematic dish. The story revolves around a displaced family from India led by a widowed restaurateur known as Papa Kadam (Om Puri), his eldest son, Hassan (Manish Dayal), & his 4 other children. Burned (literally) out of their Mumbai restaurant by political fanatics, Papa & co. relocate to Europe to start anew. After false starts in London & Rotterdam, their rickety van breaks down in an old French village. Papa quickly finds a quaint, abandoned building that would be ideal for a boisterous, colorful, Indian eatery.
He opens "Maison Mumbai", but directly across the street (oh, I'd say about 100 ft.) stands a classical French restaurant run by the very proud, very stern Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren). Mme. Mallory, a widow herself, caters to the aristocracy, feeds the President of France, is obsessed about attaining the much sought-after 2 star Michelin rating (from food critics) and ... is not happy AT ALL by this loud Indian establishment popping up in front of her eyes. To her, Indian curry & haute cuisine simply do not mix. A territorial culture clash ensues. And she declares war against her restaurant rivals in a series of silly, if not unfunny sabotage segments.
More complications arise when Hassan, a talented cook in his own right, falls for Mme. Mallory's sous chef, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon), & vice-versa. While Mme. Mallory covets that 2nd Michelin star, Hassan must grapple with the death of his mother (which haunts him deeply), his competitive love/hate relationship with Marguerite, as well as the emotional price he pays for when he eventually earns success in flashy Paris. Light melodrama ensues.
There's something very gentle, charming, & enticingly old-fashioned about 'The Hundred-Foot Journey', which is based on a book by Richard C. Morais. But really, this type of film is kinda sorta in my wheelhouse. That may sound strange coming from a 34 yr. old male but, when done right, I love these types of languid, picturesque, uplifting family films. And it doesn't hurt that Helen Mirren stars (one of my favorite actresses). Mirren & Om Puri represent the cultural & culinary differences that exist btwn. India & France. I enjoyed their verbal sparring scenes, but really, their preordained emotional trajectory is obvious. That's the thing, a lot of this film is pre-ordained/predictable ... but it doesn't matter; at least, not to me. I loved the journey, even when I knew how it might all end.
Director Lasse Hallstrom serves up mouth-watering scenes (a la 2000's Chocolat). i.e., a surprisingly seasoned omelet, a boeuf bourguignon; not to mention market scenes where the vibrant colors of the fruits, vegetables, & spices leap off the screen. Cinematographer Linus Sundgren also makes great use of the idyllic french countryside with rolling hills, babbling brooks, & 19th c. architecture; it all looked & felt like a faerie tale. For the most part, the lifestyle of the old world setting holds a wonderful timeless quality; like it's frozen in a simpler era. Juxtaposed with the gorgeous countryside is a lively Indian score by the great A.R. Rahman. I also really liked the earnestness & fresh-faced quality of Manish Dayal (as Hassan). And Charlotte Le Bon rivets with a quizzicle face that is always hard to read.
'The Hundred-Foot Journey' represents a pleasant diversion for audiences looking for light summer fare. This is a film about people & how they interact. Yes, the movie is at times too sentimental, the plot is not original, & a 3rd act tangent irked. But again, it has such charm. It also has something to say about cultural conflict; stressing the importance of accepting differences in others, including cultures (the ugliness of xenophobia) & politics (one character paints "France for the French!" on Papa's outer wall of his eatery). Love of family (home is where the heart is) & the joy of cooking are prominent themes, as well. It's a simple story, but lovingly told, & though we feel that happiness awaits the major characters in the end, the journey they take never felt phony. It's a delight to watch for these very reasons.
He opens "Maison Mumbai", but directly across the street (oh, I'd say about 100 ft.) stands a classical French restaurant run by the very proud, very stern Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren). Mme. Mallory, a widow herself, caters to the aristocracy, feeds the President of France, is obsessed about attaining the much sought-after 2 star Michelin rating (from food critics) and ... is not happy AT ALL by this loud Indian establishment popping up in front of her eyes. To her, Indian curry & haute cuisine simply do not mix. A territorial culture clash ensues. And she declares war against her restaurant rivals in a series of silly, if not unfunny sabotage segments.
More complications arise when Hassan, a talented cook in his own right, falls for Mme. Mallory's sous chef, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon), & vice-versa. While Mme. Mallory covets that 2nd Michelin star, Hassan must grapple with the death of his mother (which haunts him deeply), his competitive love/hate relationship with Marguerite, as well as the emotional price he pays for when he eventually earns success in flashy Paris. Light melodrama ensues.
There's something very gentle, charming, & enticingly old-fashioned about 'The Hundred-Foot Journey', which is based on a book by Richard C. Morais. But really, this type of film is kinda sorta in my wheelhouse. That may sound strange coming from a 34 yr. old male but, when done right, I love these types of languid, picturesque, uplifting family films. And it doesn't hurt that Helen Mirren stars (one of my favorite actresses). Mirren & Om Puri represent the cultural & culinary differences that exist btwn. India & France. I enjoyed their verbal sparring scenes, but really, their preordained emotional trajectory is obvious. That's the thing, a lot of this film is pre-ordained/predictable ... but it doesn't matter; at least, not to me. I loved the journey, even when I knew how it might all end.
Director Lasse Hallstrom serves up mouth-watering scenes (a la 2000's Chocolat). i.e., a surprisingly seasoned omelet, a boeuf bourguignon; not to mention market scenes where the vibrant colors of the fruits, vegetables, & spices leap off the screen. Cinematographer Linus Sundgren also makes great use of the idyllic french countryside with rolling hills, babbling brooks, & 19th c. architecture; it all looked & felt like a faerie tale. For the most part, the lifestyle of the old world setting holds a wonderful timeless quality; like it's frozen in a simpler era. Juxtaposed with the gorgeous countryside is a lively Indian score by the great A.R. Rahman. I also really liked the earnestness & fresh-faced quality of Manish Dayal (as Hassan). And Charlotte Le Bon rivets with a quizzicle face that is always hard to read.
'The Hundred-Foot Journey' represents a pleasant diversion for audiences looking for light summer fare. This is a film about people & how they interact. Yes, the movie is at times too sentimental, the plot is not original, & a 3rd act tangent irked. But again, it has such charm. It also has something to say about cultural conflict; stressing the importance of accepting differences in others, including cultures (the ugliness of xenophobia) & politics (one character paints "France for the French!" on Papa's outer wall of his eatery). Love of family (home is where the heart is) & the joy of cooking are prominent themes, as well. It's a simple story, but lovingly told, & though we feel that happiness awaits the major characters in the end, the journey they take never felt phony. It's a delight to watch for these very reasons.