The Hundred Foot Journey
Director: Lasse Hallström
Talent: Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon
Release Date: 5th September 2014
Set in pastoral France this clash-of-cultures flick follows Mumbai natives the Kadam family as they attempt to make a success of their Indian restaurant, despite the hostility of Michelin starred restaurateur Madame Mallory.
This is a billet-doux to love and its close relationship with food but its more McDonalds than Noma: cheap and immediate rather than anything refined and innovative. If it was just a love film its bases would be covered, but it attempts to obscure its more conspicuous ingredients by examining the esoteric, almost spiritual reverence some people have towards food. Unfortunately the project is so pickled by sentimentality that even its few enjoyable elements feel canned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEO1TWeM5JU
Truth be told this feels like a film produced by Spielberg and Oprah, but if Hallström’s Chocolat left you salivating then you’re probably in safe territory. If, however, that gastronomical opus left you with a belly ache then it’s best to give this a wide berth.
Words: Eoghain Meakin
For more film coverage this month, see our reviews of Moebius, The Congress, Million Dollar Arm, Into The Storm, Deliver Us From Evil, Obvious Child, The Expendables 3 and We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.
