The following is a review of the new Jon Favreau film Chef. If you have not seen Chef yet, I suggest that you do not continue to read this post, as it will contain information that will spoil the movie for you. If you like to be spoiled, then by all means, please continue....
**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********
I have been waiting, rather impatiently, for over a month to see this film. Originally released in a limited run on May 5, it finally made it's way to theatres here this past weekend. A passion project of writer/director/producer/star Jon Favreau, it tells the story of chef Carl Casper and his fall from grace and eventual rise, as he once again discovers his true passion.
Chef Casper has been the head chef at an LA eatery for a long time. On the eve of a very big critique, he plans an elaborate new menu, just the thing to impress a picky critic. The restaurant owner, however, has different ideas. Set in his ways, he insists that the staff stick with the tried and true, albeit tired menu that the patrons have come to know and enjoy. Needless to say, the critic is not impressed by the ho-hum fare, and writes a scathing review of the restaurant, focused mainly on his disappointment with the chef. Angry and disgusted, Chef Carl accidentally gets into a war on Twitter with the critic, not realizing that everything he says over social media is for public consumption. Finally, he calls the critic out, inviting him to another tasting, where he plans to show him just what he's capable of. The restaurant owner, played by a deliciously clueless Dustin Hoffman, will have none of it, basically giving the chef an ultimatum. Either he cooks the regular menu, or he doesn't cook at all. Chef Carl walks away, hours before the showdown with the critic, leaving his Sous Chef, Bobby Canavale, who is quickly promoted to head Chef, in charge. Needless to say, the critic is not impressed again, and this time, calls Chef Carl out, tweeting that he's a no show and must be afraid. Carl flips out and heads to the restaurant, where he rips into the critic, his rant rapidly going viral. With no job and all prospects dried up, he heads to Miami with his ex-wife, Inez (Sofia Vergara), so that he can spend more time with their son. She has been trying to get him to open a food truck, where he could be in charge and cook what he wants. He had always scoffed at the idea, but finally relents, meeting with her other ex-husband, a fabulously quirky Robert Downey Jr. He takes the truck, calls it El Jefe, and he, his son and his best friend, Martin (John Leguizamo), who quit being the new Sous Chef at the LA restaurant to join him, make the trip from Miami to LA, stopping in various cities along the way to sell their wares. Carl's son, Percy, uses the power of social media, and his dad's inadvertent huge following, to promote the truck, making them a huge success. Upon returning to LA, Carl realizes that there are more important things in life than being a huge success and working all the time, and the truck becomes a family business, so they can all spend more time together. The critic, realizing that Chef Carl has re-discovered his passion, offers to bankroll a new restaurant, where Carl would have complete creative control. Cue the happily ever after.
I really liked this movie. It's an interesting take on finding ones passion and truly experiencing life to the fullest. We only get a short time on this ride called life, and we should really make the most of it while we're here. Doing something that you're passionate about and loving what you do are steps in the right direction. I thought that the acting in this film was great, and that the actor that played Percy, EmJay Anthony, did an outstanding job. And of course, anytime that a movie features my favourite city in the World, New Orleans, I'm going to be all in! The movie does a great job of balancing the food and what it means to us and how it brings us together, with the more personal elements of the story. Visually, the film is gorgeous, showcasing ingredients and techniques that you would be hard pressed to find outside of an industrial kitchen. It's obvious that food is one of Favreau's passions, and he showcases it here beautifully. While the story is quite predictable, overall, the film is a joy to watch and I highly recommend it.
I did have a couple of issues with the film, however, the main one being how neatly everything was tied up in a little bow by the end. Not only was the food truck a huge success, but of course, the critic, who had sold his website for millions of dollars, is willing to invest in a restaurant because he believes in the chef again. The final scene of the film shows the restaurant, six months later, closed for a private event, which just happens to be the wedding of Chef Carl and his ex-wife Inez, making the three of them one big happy family again. While I do watch rom-coms, the syrupy sweet ending was a little out of place in the film for me. Just having the truck be a success and Carl finding his passion once again, would have been enough. Add on the restaurant and the happily ever after fairytale ending and it was just a touch over the top. Not enough to change my opinion of the film overall, but it was enough to detract from the overall message, I think. My other issue with the film is a bit of a nit-pick, but oh well. Someone please tell me, how a guy that looks like Jon Favreau, who I am sure is a really great guy, can get women who look like Sofia Vergara and Scarlett Johansson? I mean, seriously? Is it just because he's a chef? I guess it's true what they say... the key to anyone's heart is through their stomach.
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