The new summer film Chefis dotted with enough clever food scenes to disorient the viewer. Don’t be fooled: this is not a food movie but an exploration into modern parenting, mid-life identity and an odyssey all at once. Jon Favreau is irresistible as Chef Carl Casper and he’s welcome to cook me up something tasty any time. I love a man who knows how to use his hands.
Favreau is the disgruntled artiste, working under restaurant owner Dustin Hoffman’s unimaginative rule. His relationships are suffering, although his kid, played beautifully by actor, Emjay Anthony, yearns rather than pouts. While the narrative thread here is familiar, Favreau chooses to play it straight over the usual sitcom snappy dialogue, delivering sweet instead of salty. That won me over. I haven’t met a parent yet who hasn’t been there.
Favreau, acting here as writer/director and star, plops his characters into the contemporary digital terrain where tweeting food reviews are anathema to working chefs. His identity crisis comes after a public meltdown that goes viral. In a scene sure to resonate with artists everywhere wincing from bad reviews, Casper sounds off against a popular online food blogger, played by the wonderful Oliver Platt. Licking his wounds, our rumpled hero retreats to the kitchen to ponder the next turn, urged on by his ex-wife, who suggests a food truck and brings him to Miami to make it happen. A road movie within a movie then ramps up as Casper and company begin hauling their treats across the country back to LA, charming the locals and each other en route.
I badly wanted to be on that truck.
It’s not perfect due to an ending that is perhaps too tidy for the authentic portrait etched throughout. Then there’s the heavy handed use and mention of social media, you know, that one with the blue bird icon. Like a bunch of local chefs here who loved the movie, I didn’t buy that chef Jon Favreau ever had a marriage with Sofia Vergara.
Small quibbles really, as Chef is otherwise a yummy meal of a movie. As a director, Favreau worked for months with chef Roy Choi to get the food scenes right. Viewers who stay past the credits are treated to Choi showing Favreau how to manipulate a grilled cheese around the grill properly. If that doesn’t satisfy, here’s more behind the scenes prep with the two. There is much to admire in all the food prep. It is in these scenes that Favreau shows a serious commitment to the movement and nuance of a restaurant and home kitchen alike. The cast is as delicious as any of the food shown but the film belongs to Favreau. His passion and ear for humour in everyday moments reminded me of his endearing turn in the indie hit Swingers, a film that shares the patter and pace of Chef.
If you will allow me to program a summer’s distraction, go see Chef early then grab a bite out on a city patio when the sun is just setting. Go home and treat yourself to another mouth watering film about chefs,Big Night.Our summer project is to make the timpano featured in that film. Stay tuned. It sounds well and good but the grilled cheese sandwich in Chef is speaking to me too. Give me taste and drippy, gooey decadence and I’ll ride in your truck all summer long.
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