Julie and Julia

Viewer Rating:andrewire has rated Julie and Julia rating: 5 Star

I saw Julie & Julia on its first showing. I was surprised with it because it turned out to be much better than expected. Julia Child was a forty-something looking for what to do in Paris, where she was living with her husband Paul, who was a US diplomat. She didn't want to stay in her french villa like most french women of the time did. So she had an idea: going to cooking school. French cuisine was at that time [1960s] a only-men thing. But Julia, with her characteristic naturalism and outspoken personality, didn't feel intimidated and started a cooking course in Le Cordon Blue, a well-known parisian school for cooks. More than 40 years later, a new yorker working in a tiny cubicule in a government office called Julie Powell, started wondering what was missing in her life. She has a great husband but lately, she felt that turning into 30 without completing one whole personal project wasn't a good idea. So she decided to cook 524 recipes in one year and write about it on a blog. 524 recipes that Julia Child wrote during her years in Paris. This inspiring story shifts with Julia's parisian adventure and Julie's struggle to do something with her life that she can feel proud of. Director Norah Ephron gave the film a certain charm that is not easy to resist. Meryl Streep in the part of Julia Child is an amazing experience to watch. Her personality in the film is almost like a living goddess that will make you smile with her unique style and personality. Streep shines as usual, but this role is particularly great because Julia Child means a big deal for Americans, after all, it was Julia Child who introduced French cooking to the homes of the "servantless" women in America. Streep's chemistry with Stanley Tucci is incredible. He plays Paul Child with a very honest intention that you can watch on screen. This pair is definitely a wonderful couple and I think Streep has secured at least an Oscar nomination for her performance. Perhaps, this time she will finally win. Amy Adams plays Julie, and we all love Adams in everything she's done. But in this particular role, she can be a little bit annoying sometimes so you have to be like her husband: a saint. That way her character won't annoy you and you won't blame her for stealing time from Streep's show. Julia & Julia is certainly not a masterpiece, but it is a touching tale of how cooking for the ones we love can change your life. Alexandre Desplat's score suited the film perfectly and Anne Roth's costumes design are equally good and faithful to the era. I highly recommend this film to anyone: it's not a chick flick at all and I don't care what the reviewer of entertainment.ie said, who completely missed the point of the whole thing; Julie & Julia is a memorable film. Comedy doesn't get better than this.

Review published on the 10 September 2009 09:48