The Hundred-Foot Journey: Movie Review
Movie Info
RATING:
PG for thematic elements, some violence, language and brief sensuality
GENRE:
Drama, Family
RELEASE:
August 8, 2014
STARRING:
Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon, Amit Shah, Farzana Dua Elahe
DIRECTOR:
Lasse Hallström
DISTRIBUTOR:
Walt Disney Pictures
More on this movie at IMDb.com
The Hundred-Foot Journey, a new Disney movie from Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, based on the best-selling book by Richard C. Morais, is deliciously good. Starring Oscar winner Helen Mirren, this chef's delight of a movie takes audiences on a touching journey as cultures clash, cuisine is refined and hearts are opened.
Rated PG, this family-friendly flick is just what the chef ordered for parents longing for something they're OK with their children digesting at the movies.
THE MOVIE IN A MINUTE
The Kadam family knows good food. Their search for the perfect new place to set up shop—their family-owned Indian restaurant—lands them in a small village in the South of France. It's there that Papa Kadam wants to settle, exactly 100 hundred feet from the front steps of Michelin starred, classical French restaurant, Le Saule Pleureur, which is run by the unwelcoming Madame Mallory. Hassan Kadam, the culinary ingénue of the family, attempts to bridge the divide as he tests his skill at French haute cuisine.
THE GOOD AND BAD IN THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY
"Food is memories." That's one of the takeaway lines of this delectable movie. Throughout, it reminds us food and its connection to family, the cookies Grandma used to make and the stuffing Mom got so right every Thanksgiving. It also reminds us that, yes, traditions are important, but we should never be afraid of allowing something or someone new into our lives.
Though Mirren is the only widely known actor The Hundred-Foot Journey, the rest of the cast does well to make this vibrant story come to life on screen. The plot moves well. It's funny and tender.
The Hundred-Foot Journey is only rated PG; however, the reasons are worth noting. Parents are cautioned as the film contains thematic elements, some violence, language and brief sensuality. (Spoilers ahead!) At one point, two of the characters emerge from a closed room with their hair disheveled and a building fire causes the death of a loved one. In both of these instances, nothing is shown in detail, only implied.
IN THE END
All in all, The Hundred-Foot Journey is worth seeing in theaters. Be forewarned though. After seeing all of the food showcased in this movie, you will want to go out to dinner afterwards. So, plan your movie night accordingly.
