Director: Lasse Hallström
Starring: Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon
Studio: Touchstone Entertainment / DreamWorks Pictures
Release Date: December 2, 2014
Retail: $36.99
ASIN: B00MI56U6S
Running Time: 122 minutes
Rating: PG
Buy Link: Amazon
Review:
Arriving on Blu-ray on Tuesday December 2, 2014 is feel-good movie The Hundred-Foot Journey. The film is directed by Lasse Hallström and stars Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon. Extras include The Hundred-Foot Journey with Steven Spielberg & Oprah Winfrey; The Recipe, The Ingredients, The Journey; On Set With Oprah Winfrey and Coconut Chicken.
Based on the 2010 novel of the same name by Richard C. Morais, the film centers on the Kadam family, whom leaves their home in Mumbai and eventually ends up in Saint-Antonia-Noble-Val, France. Papa Kadam (played by Om Puri) finds the perfect building for them to restart their family Indian restaurant, which happens to be directly across the road (a hundred feet) from the French restaurant named "Le Saule Pleureur" that is owned by Madame Mallory (played by Helen Mirren).
Competing against a high-end French restaurant is going to a major challenge for the Kadam family, but Papa has confidence in his head chef, his second-oldest son, Hassan (Manish Dayal). Madame Mallory is determined to get rid of them one way or another; first reporting them to the building inspectors and later trying to sabotage their restaurant.
After finding several books on French cooking, Hassan starts to get a taste for other cuisines. He befriends the Le Saule Pleureur's sous chef, Marguerite (played by Charlotte Le Bon) and a romance quickly blooms. His life takes a sudden turn when Madame Mallory notices how talented he is in the kitchen and offers him a chance of a lifetime.
I recall seeing the film advertise during the summer and read some mixed reviews from critics, but I tend to like almost anything with Helen Mirren, so I decided to review the Blu-ray, which will be released next week. Though I have seen the book that it is based on in bookstores, I have never read it, so I can't compare the film to the book or vice versa.
The film started out a bit slow for me, though I became interested in it once the Kadam family arrived in France. The plot probably won't appeal to everyone's taste, unless you like cooking, in which I do. While at first glance the film looks like a drama, there is a little humor tossed around, mostly from Om Puri's Papa and Helen Mirren's Madame Mallory bumping heads, whom both give outstanding performances. I found the film to be enjoyable for the most part, though the latter half seemed to be misguided and rushed. Overall, The Hundred-Foot Journey is a family-friendly feel-good movie.
*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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Escargot is my favorite Fench Cuisine. Thanks for the giveaway. BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteCrepes
ReplyDeleteCrepes for sure!
ReplyDeletemcfallsk8er[at]aim[dot]com
Coq Au Vin, I saw it in a book I read and looked up the recipe.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Crepes or Quiche I'd say....
ReplyDeleteSo many to choose fro. Escargot and a glass of wine is my go to, but family time breakfast it's crepes
ReplyDeleteI like a good Quiche Lorraine. This movie is so great!
ReplyDeleteI cannot resist escargot. Snails with a garlic butter sauce, please.
ReplyDeleteMy mother makes THE best quiche in the world. Now I'm craving it.
ReplyDeleteOh i love Beignets!! :)
ReplyDeleteI love Beef Bourguignon
ReplyDelete******************
{in the contest I am Margot Core on the Rafflecopter}
croissants!! is that cuisine? haha! thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDelete