Julie & Julia
2009
****
Director: Nora Ephron
Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Linda Emond, Jane Lynch
This light and bubbly comedy intertwines the lives of two real-life women. Julia Child is an American who trains herself as a chef in Paris after WW2 and co-writes the groundbreaking Mastering the Art of French Cooking. In 2002, Julie Powell starts an online blog which chronicles her attempts to cook through Child’s entire book. Both of the ladies turn their passion into a profession, but Julia's life is the more interesting one. She is a loveable and eccentric trailblazer with a warm and loyal husband. Julie is a self-absorbed modern day woman whose husband is not always supportive of her derivative obsession. Their combined stories result in a long but very enjoyable and mouthwatering film. It ends on a slightly odd note, though, when the two storylines come together for a brief moment. The cast is great, but Meryl Streep's performance would seem rather campy if it wasn't based on a real person. Based on two books, My Life in France by Julia Child and Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell.
