DVD Review #23 Julie & Julia

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Julie & Julia (2009) Meryl Streep, Amy Adams Directed by Nora Ephron

Nora Ephron usually bats around fifty percent with me, everybody loves Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, but not too many movie viewers fell for Lucky Numbers or Bewitched. I think she does well with Julie & Julia, maybe not a homerun but certainly a double off the monster in left field. I have been known to be a sucker for “chick-flicks” and this one qualifies under that category, but I didn’t fall for the film per say, I merely admired its cuteness and acting. Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Stanley Tucci all give very good performances here. I wouldn’t tell you to run out and grab this film by any means, but if it’s on TV and you’re looking for something for you and your significant other to watch…this film will taste just right to the both of you.

A somewhat unconventional premise here, Julie & Julia is the simultaneous story of Julia Child’s (the legend, Meryl Streep) early ”cooking career” years and Julie Powell’s (the up and comer Amy Adams) early “writing career” years. Julie Powell is looking for something to do with her life, as Julia Child once was…they both find passion in cooking. As Julie Powell burns her way through Julia Child’s famous cookbook, one recipe at a time, we travel back in time via flashback to Julia Child’s efforts to write it and get it published. I would admit that picking up the movie and reading the back will make you scratch your head as to how this works in a movie…but it does, and as a guy who watches sports and considers himself athletic (whiffleball and tennis right?) I can tell you (other guys presumably) that you may not love this film, but there is enough here for you to watch it, and be entertained…(like the food!!! Man it looks good).

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) Julie & Julia is filled with great acting, great food, and some fun moments, but it lacks rewatchability so I can only bring myself to serve it up as a solid 6.5 film, that is worth catching, but not worth putting on any top ten lists (though some acting here is worthy of awards). Watch it when its on, but don’t run out to get it (unless you are a diehard Streep fan).

Food For Thought: I would be foolish to not put a little food in this one, so over some time off I dabbled in seafood, preparing Scallops in two different ways, Cajun style (lightly sauted on both sides with olive oil and butter) and a garlic/Romano cheese sauté…both great and both served over pasta. Both these ladies are currently in theaters as Meryl Streep has It’s Complicated which is getting good buzz, and Amy Adams has Leap Year currently out. Up next for Streep is Ice at the Bottom of the World in 2010, and for Adams there is the Boxer Mickey Ward’s biopic The Fighter co-starring Marky Mark as Mickey.