A: Aspiring writer, Julie Powell (Amy Adams), decides to cook her way through all of Julia Child's (Meryl Streep) recipes, and blog about her and Julia's love of great food and great husbands.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Linda Emond, Helen Carey, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jane Lynch, Joan Juliet Buck, Vanessa Ferlito, Casey Wilson
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A:
Proceed with Caution. The main characters are charming and highly watchable, but as they repeatedly make boeuf bourguignon, you begin to wonder, "Where's the boeuf?" This story has no meat.Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: There is a Saturday Night Live sketch in the piece where Dan Aykroyd does a funny send up of Julia Child. It beckons back to a time when both Saturday Night Live and Dan Aykroyd were funny.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: It will definitely make you hungry.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: Meryl Streep is in it.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: Meryl Streep is in it.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: Nora Ephron smoothly transitions back and forth visually between the story of Julia Child in the 1950s and that of Julie Powell in 2002, and also smoothly differentiates between the two stories with happy bright lighting in the 50s, contrasted with grittier, darker lighting in present day... Begging the question, why don't we get to live during the happy lighting time?
Q: How is the story/script?
A: Maybe following Julie Powell's neurosis in blog or book form was intriguing, but a movie still needs conflict, and more than anything, that's what is missing from this story of perfect women with perfect husbands who cook perfect little meals making them perfect little housewives.
Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?
A: Don't go on an empty stomach.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/julie-and-julia/26129/trailers
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4 comments:
It was an attractive, enjoyable and hunger-inducing film, but I can see how additional conflict would have helped. Several times I thought it was ending, but kept going. A stronger conflict could have strengthened the resolution. It's hard to make the women's quest for publishing a hugely happy ending when you already know they are both published.
That's a good point about the publishing. It definitely softens the effect, when the opening credits say, "Based on a book by Julie Powell."
I'd also argue that a main point of the movie was missed in your review. It's about two women struggling to find purpose - the conflict is an inner one, how do women find purpose, particularly with the traditionally female art of cooking. I'd agree you can argue it wasn't done articulated well in the script, but I still think that's what the movie's point was.
I quite enjoyed the movie because of the food and it really inspired me to get cooking again :)
But I do agree with you that its worth watching because of Meryl Streep more than anything. It's amazing how she embodies Julia Child!
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