"Who's talking about men? We're not talking about men!"
Julie & Julia is far more watchable than the standard Nora Ephron slush-fest, probably as a result of the true-life stories which inspired it. It takes a little while for the two stories to gel, but the film settles down comfortably and amuses occasionally. All credit to the two leads who carry the movie: the ever-reliable Meryl Streep channels American cookery star Julia Child in a warm and convincing manner which almost suggests caricature but captures the spirit of the woman effectively, and Amy Adams gives another of her utterly adorable turns as the modern-day aspiring writer Julie Powell, who cooks her way through Child's famous recipe boook in one year. The period detail of Child's story (mostly in France) is sumptuously realised on screen and contrasts nicely with Powell's 21st Century life (an office cubicle, a classic rom-com slightly-tatty flat-above-a-pizza-shop). Sterling support is given by Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina as the two husbands, who both give finely-controlled performances in limited and generally thankless roles. The rest of the cast (including Mary Lynn Rajskub - 24's Chloe) barely get a look in, in spite of the fact that the film plays a little too long, with a couple of unnecessary sub-plots filling out the running time. The overt message is curious, that women can achieve anything if they believe in themselves and see it through to the end...as long as it is domestic (!), and other issues thrown in to the mix (9/11, McCarthyism) flounder. The clumsy conclusion conveniently side-steps the late bombshell that Child did not like Powell's blog project in a race to wrap up the movie with a happy ending for both story threads. Although it is as substantial as being slapped by a cloud, Julie & Julia is a well-mounted film with two strong central characters and performances.
Julie & Julia is far more watchable than the standard Nora Ephron slush-fest, probably as a result of the true-life stories which inspired it. It takes a little while for the two stories to gel, but the film settles down comfortably and amuses occasionally. All credit to the two leads who carry the movie: the ever-reliable Meryl Streep channels American cookery star Julia Child in a warm and convincing manner which almost suggests caricature but captures the spirit of the woman effectively, and Amy Adams gives another of her utterly adorable turns as the modern-day aspiring writer Julie Powell, who cooks her way through Child's famous recipe boook in one year. The period detail of Child's story (mostly in France) is sumptuously realised on screen and contrasts nicely with Powell's 21st Century life (an office cubicle, a classic rom-com slightly-tatty flat-above-a-pizza-shop). Sterling support is given by Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina as the two husbands, who both give finely-controlled performances in limited and generally thankless roles. The rest of the cast (including Mary Lynn Rajskub - 24's Chloe) barely get a look in, in spite of the fact that the film plays a little too long, with a couple of unnecessary sub-plots filling out the running time. The overt message is curious, that women can achieve anything if they believe in themselves and see it through to the end...as long as it is domestic (!), and other issues thrown in to the mix (9/11, McCarthyism) flounder. The clumsy conclusion conveniently side-steps the late bombshell that Child did not like Powell's blog project in a race to wrap up the movie with a happy ending for both story threads. Although it is as substantial as being slapped by a cloud, Julie & Julia is a well-mounted film with two strong central characters and performances.
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