December 30: Julie & Julia

Confession time: I tried to read Julie Powell's book before seeing this movie but I petered out about half-way through. She's an okay writer and all but the book didn't grab me enough to hold my interest. And I guess that filmmaker Nora Ephron must have felt that way too because in making the movie Julie and Julia, she also utilized Child's memoir to bolster the story and to seek out more contrast and common ground.

Anyway, the film received a lot of attention because Meryl Streep was playing Julia Child. Now Ms. Streep is arguably one of American cinema's greatest actresses but I do have the feeling that sometimes she gets a pass when she shouldn't. I mean Music from the Heart was an okay movie but hardly Oscar worthy and yet she picked up one of her innumerable nominations for that picture. Undoubtedly she's headed to add yet another one for this movie but throughout I had the distinct feeling I was watching her do an impersonation as opposed to giving a performance. It didn't help that Ephron included Dan Ackroyd's famous sketch from Saturday Night Live. There was something a bit off about that moment and for me it marred Streep's work.
(Yes I know she's getting awards for this but I cannot fathom it -- the performance isn't one of her best. At this point I think she gets a prize as long as she shows up and tries out a new accent.)

The premise of Powell's book is that she decides to take on a project that she plans to see to completion and that is to make her way through Child's cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by making over 500 recipes in a year's time. Powell is played by Amy Adams who has an eternally chirpy and cheerful screen persona that was a bit grating in Junebug, used to perfection in Enchanted and here is somewhere in between. Actually, she's more unlikable than usual and the character even notes it by saying how much of a bitch she has become in one scene with her best friend (played by Mary Lynn Rajskub). When her self-centered attitude takes a toll on her marriage to her initially supportive husband Eric (Chris Messina), the audience is supposed to care, but frankly I didn't. In fact, I was a bit annoyed he decided to return and I just figured he must have gotten hungry and wanted a good home-cooked meal.

Ephron seems to have more of a flair for Child's life with her husband Paul (a fine Stanley Tucci). Those scenes have more life to them (which I think is where the critics go blind thinking that it is all Meryl Streep and not noticing that she's supported strongly by Linda Emond, Joan Juliet Buck, Tucci, Jane Lynch, and Helen Carey).

I was a bit disappointed by this movie, especially since this was supposed to be about food. Ephron would have done well to examine Tucci's movie Big Night for pointers. I left that one craving Italian food. After watching Julie & Julia, I wasn't in the least hungry.

Rating:       C