No Reservations (2007)
About the film-
The film stars Catherine Zeta John as
character Kate, a busy career woman as a Head Chef in a successful restaurant.
After her sister dies in an unsuspected car accident, leaving her with her
orphaned niece (Abigail Breslin), she has to balance her work, being a new
parent by looking after her niece as well as everything in between. Due to her
absence from work, insisted by the restaurant manager, she is temporarily
replaced by a new young male chef, Nick (played by Aaron Eckhart). Once Kate
returns to work, there is conflict and tension between the two. After the
passion for food and cooking, as well as looking after the niece Zoe, the two
chefs are spiralled in a whirlwind of romance as well as a love/hate
relationship.
The Feel of the film-
Despite family loss and romance fuelling
this film, it is all centred around the passion and love of food and cooking.
I admit that food does take a slight back seat within this film, it is
however used to turn negative situations into positives. Character Zoe is finding it
hard to live with her aunt, and missing her mother, so Nick and Kate use the
influence of food, and the curiosity of learning about it, in order to create a
friendship between them all.
There are a few moments between Kate and Zoë
where you can tell they are both thinking the same thing- about the
mother/sister who died, as well as that they both miss her.
The romance element to the film is gradual,
having the main characters come together through the care of Zoë as well as
trying to out do each other in the restaurant kitchen. It is nice to see two
people coming together over something they are interested or passionate about.
Most films just have two people falling in love for other reasons, whereas in
reality people do normally get together because of things they enjoy. So it is
enjoyable to see Catherine and Aaron’s characters have some sort of ground to
them, and despite their professions not being an average person’s job, it still
has average people’s problems and feelings about things. On the other hand it is quite exotic, falling in love over the aspect of food- oohh.
As for the food aspect to the film, it is
amazing the food that is created within the story. The feel of food is
up-market, expensive and small portions. Kate is stuck to find food that her
niece likes, which I found quite funny as she has spent so long cooking elaborate
dishes, average food has gone from her mind. but with the help of Nick, they all find happiness in life together, through the use of food.
The overall feel of the movie had me in debate. some aspects had dark and upsetting undertones, however others were light, with a family good feel to it.
My personal experience-
My favourite pieces to the film were when
the characters were cooking or the scenes that were set within the restaurant
kitchen. I feel that this is because, I find not only cooking amazing, but also
the face-paced cooking environment brilliant to watch, learn from and work in.
Looking at the kitchen scenes just makes me want to go into cooking and food
servicing even more. I have had experience working within a café environment,
and have got into cooking more recently, so seeing the set up and the work
within the kitchen set filled me with passion and urgency.
As well as this,
looking at the food that they were cooking has given me a taste of high-class
restaurant food. I have not had many chances myself to try really expensive or
mouthwatering dishes, so seeing what goes on back stage and, what and how they
make it was very interesting. What was of a fascination to me was what happened
when a customer sends a meal back to the cook or chef. I do realise that the
reaction of Catherine’s character was done for the film and entertainment only,
but it did make me wonder, how chefs and cooks do react if that happens. You
put heart and soul, time, sweat and energy on making a meal for someone, and
they have a problem with it or don’t like it. I sort of know how they feel, now I am getting better at cooking (my partner is enjoying my meals), I don't want there to be anything wrong with the food I cook. I am now going to feel bad about sending food back to the kitchens next time I'm eating out.
Overall a good film, and it defiantly hints as using food as a coping mechanism, as well as what food means to different people. However I would have liked for there to have been more descriptive and expression of food within some scenes. A good film with a dark undertone which displays a comfort in the love of food, and an insight into the food and restaurant business.
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