If anyone is interested in my experience of watching CHEF, click here to see my notes.
I’m following in the footsteps of Nancy Mock and MOCK and I hope I can keep up. I made a point not to read their reviews before watching this film so it would be a fresh experience for me. Let’s see how it all went.
This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability.
1. What is this film about?
Chef Carl is good, but he’s insecure. Not a good husband, not a good dad; being a great chef is all he has, but even his idea of what legitimizes a chef is a little askew. After a bad review and discovering the nature of social media in the worst way, Carl is forced to rethink his methods and downsize to a food truck.
2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?
The title is simple. Made me think the movie would be simple and subtly profound. I never watched the trailer. The poster looks fun.
3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?
Well first off, this cast is ridiculous. Jon Favreau called in every big name he’s worked with, or wanted to work with, even down to cameos from real chefs and recording artists. No one did a bad job with their roles, but then they weren’t really challenging roles. I did think the boy, Emjay Anthony, did a great job standing his ground next to talents such as Dustin Hoffman, Scarlet Johansson, and Robert Downey Jr.
4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?
Quadruple-threat-man, Favreau, did a nice job putting this all together. I liked the way he incorporated the social media elements. It was student-film-like in that way that feels natural and edgy, even if it’s not.
5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?
The soundtrack was the second best thing about this film. The cooking scenes were the first, but I have a thing for cooking scenes. Sadly though, anyone who doesn’t like Jazz, Blues, and or Latin music won’t share my thoughts here.
Let’s all thank Nancy for sharing the soundtrack with us here.
6. What did I like about the story as a whole?
I like that the need to connect and create was at the center of it all. Chef Carl wasn’t able to create and it drove him crazy and because he wouldn’t connect, he stifled his own focus and execution.
7. What did I not like about the story?
Simple is usually good, but the simplicity of how everything worked out seemed generic. It was an enjoyable story, but it didn’t excite me.
8. Would I recommend this movie to others?
Probably, but I’d be picky about it. If anyone asked me if it was worth seeing, I’d say yes, but I don’t feel like I need to hurry out and share this with all my friends.
9. What would I rate this movie?
On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 3 reels.
10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?
Yes, FOOD. I love food and try to include it in my writing though I don’t always do so well. I find that I often create recipes for stories or characters as part of my writing process. I’m no chef, but I understand Carl’s need to create, whether in the kitchen or at my desk.
Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.
Download the soundtrack here.
Mock Squid Soup – Film Society
MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to movie reviews. We invite others to participate and post their reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 😀
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords
Clue #1– It’s a fairly recent sci-fi release that’s quite dark (now on DVD).