Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Don't go to The Hundred-Foot Journey hungry.
If there's one piece of great advice I can give this month, that would be it.
Don't go hungry . . . which is the same advice I give myself whenever I watch the Food Network. (Hence all the HGTV I've been watching lately. You can watch that channel hungry and not be inspired to make a quesadilla for breakfast, which I've done without regret.)
The Hundred-Foot Journey is a literal feast for the eyes, celebrating good cuisine and taste, and everything that surrounds it. The care and emotion towards food is in the same spirit as the Korean drama The Grand Chef (also known as Gourmet), Brittany Murphy's The Romen Girl, and Pixar's Ratatouille I couldn't help but think of these movies while watching The Hundred-Foot Journey.
When the Kadam family faced tragedy in India, caught between a political crossfire that leaves everything precious in a heap of ashes, they are forced to leave for safety and peace. Their journeying finds them in a quaint French village, the kind of place where dreams are made, when the car they're driving brakes down. The Father receives inspiration that this is their new home, and he finds a run down restaurant across the street from a Michelin star French cuisine oasis. Michelin stars are all that's important in the French culinary World; They're the golden grail. Therefore, establishing a new Indian food restaurant across the street from such prestige is a gamble and recipe for an all out food war. The clash of cultures. The clash of taste. The clash of tradition.
The Hundred-Foot Journey isn't just about the love of food, but it's also about the love of family and life. Embracing those quiet moments. Finding joy and passion. Living life to the fullest. Forgiving and being forgiven. Etc.
Is the story a little predictable? Yes, but the story is sweet. The cinematography enchanting in a simply elegant way. (In a way that makes me wish I could travel to such a place.)
My only complaints for this film is that with the movement of time. Sometimes I did feel a lull, a slight mindless wander. But I'm glad for a complete story and not a rush job. The marking of time is displayed through Bastille fireworks, which is a nice way to show a year has past without stating the fact, but I wish the fireworks could have been authentic and not CGI. The digital was a little obvious and thus distracting.
To end on a high note, I really enjoyed Helen Mirren's performance, but it is Om Puri as the Papa who stole the show. He was delightful.
P.S. It's a PG rated romance! Some people may be put off by this, but I honestly think it's awesome. How many of these do we get? Not enough.
MPAA: Rated PG for thematic elements, some violence, language and brief sensuality.
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