Finally, a good movie! Sometimes I think anyone reading my reviews might think I'm too harsh and don't like anything, but thankfully, Chef has come along to counter that perception. It actually caused me to look back at the movies I've seen this year and there are about 5-6 favorites so far, which puts me perfectly one track to have a Top 10-15 for the year, so 2014 is shaping up nicely.
Chef is a food movie in the grand tradition of food movies like Babette's Feast and Big Night, only more watchable than the first and more fun than the second. If you love food, there is enough food porn in this movie to both satisfy you and make you hungry at the same time. It is also a bit of a road movie, with visits to Miami, New Orleans and the LA restaurant and food truck scene. I may have a soft spot for Jon Favreau, but the level of acting across the board is natural and enjoyable (and this is a vast and varied group of actors with all of Favreau's friends on board for the ride). Even the music is notable, with great local choices made for each location without being cliché.
With a food truck background myself, I found it very believable (aside from the seeming ease of starting a food truck and dealing with regulations which in reality are a nightmare, but not necessary to the plot) and fun and I really didn't want it to end. For those not into food or food trucks, it may seem slow in a couple of places as they linger over the food and the chef's world, but the only problem I found with this movie was the R rating. This movie has "colorful" language from the first moment to the last, but THAT IS IT! Again, cursing is easy to explain to kids and you know whether or not your kid can handle it. There is none of the ambiguous and impossible to explain over the top sexuality and innuendo or supernatural conjecture of other films routinely rated just PG-13.
This movie is heartwarming without going too deep and should really be seen and enjoyed by all age groups. It's opening wider and wider every weekend, so it should now be at a movie theatre near you. Grab dinner at a local food truck this weekend and follow it by seeing Chef!
4.25 out of 5 stars
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