Movie reviews: Chef + The Hundred Foot Journey

Hello!

How is your weekend coming a long? I hope that you have already eaten your breakfast/lunch or dinner because you are about to read two very delicious movie reviews!

Chef (2014)

I have finally watched this small budget Jon Favreau’s movie with a couple of big stars in it. (Mostly I mean Scarlet Johansson and Robert Downey Jr. but Sofia Vergara is also in it). For those of you who don’t know, Jon Favreau directed the first two Iron Man films and started in them as Iron Man’s bodyguard Happy Hogan. So it was extremely nice to see big movie stars helping out Jon with his independent movie which felt like Iron Man 2 reunion. Black widow is working with Happy and Tony Stark is the same as always – rich, witty and sure of himself.

Summary: An out-of-work L.A. chef (writer/director Jon Favreau) opens a food truck in a bid to realize his culinary potential and reconnect with his estranged family in this indie ensemble comedy co-starring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, and Bobby Cannavale. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

First of all, do yourself a favor and do not watch this movie with an empty stomach because I did this mistake and by the middle of the film I was starving.The movie explores one huge problem that today’s social media community is facing with – going viral for stupid things which stay on the Internet forever. The comedy/drama also deals with family problems and explores father-son relationship.

All in all, I enjoyed the movie, story was simple but quite nice and acting was excellent. Rate 4/5

The Hundred Foot Journey (2014)

Second movie this year that has a similar premise to Chef finally reached my country’s cinemas.

Summary: A story of Indian family who (by accident) moves to France and opens an Indian restaurant across the street form Michelin-starred French restaurant.

First of all, this movie had a completely different vibe than Chef. While that one was completely American from food to people, this one had an Indian flavor with a pinch of French culture.

I love India as a country, all the spices and colorful outfits. I really want to visit it one day. I love France as well so this movie was the best of both worlds. Last summer, I have actually lived in France for two weeks and I wasn’t staying in Paris or other big city but lived in small village like the one in the movie, so that was a nice reminder of my visit there.  French lines in the movie also made me want learn French even more; I know couple of words and phrases and it was nice to catch them in the movie.

I also enjoyed the variety of characters we got – I believe that white, black or even Asian people are represented in Hollywood movies much more that Indians. The main actor Manish Dayal was super-hot! The plot wasn’t too complicated; it was simple, pleasant story about a family. The film showed importance of heritage and family values and repeated the best cliché of life: Everything happens for a reason. Rate 4/5

P.S. Even the posters of the movies kinda look the same!

Photos: Google Images