| Julie and Julia | |
 A film about cooking and blogging. It doesn't sound very interesting does it? And we didn't think it would be. But here at MovieVortex we love to be surprised, and with the help of two of the best actresses in Hollywood we very much were.The film tracks the parallel lives of soon-to-become legendary TV-chef Julia Childs (Meryl Streep) and failed writer/Ground Zero insurance consultant Julie Powell (Amy Adams). Julia's story is set in Paris in the 1960s as she discovers French cuisine and sets out to bring it to an American audience through a revolutionary new cook book, whilst Julie's story in the early noughties sees her decide to undertake every recipe in that book in just one year: blogging comprehensively on the subject as she goes. The stories are both true, and are paralleled in Julie Powell's book based on her blog. Confused? Well then I'm not doing my job well because the beauty of this film is its simplicity. Two women are struggling in their lives, they are facing massive obstacles on their respective routes to glory and they need a way through. With charm, gusto and the support of two very supportive husbands they attempt to overcome the odds and succeed. A textbook feel good story, but doubled up for extra heart-warming value! Whilst the stories of both women offer plenty of human drama to get your teeth into, the real draw here is in the performances from the leading ladies (and only to a slightly lesser extent - their supporting men). Childs could easily have been a bombastic, gung-ho throwback to a time gone by but in the expert hands of Meryl Streep she is transformed into an immeasurably loveable character who will have a smile on your face for as long as your jaw muscles can cope. Amy Adams, meanwhile, takes all of the foibles and flaws of her struggling writer and turns them into endearing traits with which we can all identify. She lures us in with vulnerability before reassuring us with bursts of energetic drive, displaying an acting range worthy of acclaim. For the filmmaker's part, the main thing I have to praise is the way in which joy of food was conveyed. There is only so far Julia's flambuoyed enjoyment can carry our sensation of the culinary delights on screen, but director Nora Ephron supplements this with some sumptuous shots of the meals as they're made, and washes these down with the most visceral munching and squelching and gorging sounds that you can imagine; all to great effect. If you need a pick-me-up or fancy a low on effort, high on fun film then Julie and Julia is a worthy choice indeed. Rating: *** Starring: Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Paul Child, Chris Messina, Linda Emond Director: Nora Ephron Run time: 123 mins Release date: 11th September 2009 Review by Michael Edwards If it's charm you want, then we recommend taking a look at our (500) Days of Summer review, or else giving Adam a go... |
