THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY (2014)

Genre: Drama/Comedy
Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Cast: Helen Mirren, Manish Dayal, Om Puri, Charoltte Le Bon, Amit Shah, Farzana Dua Elahe, Dillon Mitra, Aria Pandya, Clément Sibony
RunTime: 2 hrs 2 min
Rating: PG
Released By: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Official Website: http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/films/the-hundred-foot-journey

Opening Day: 28 August 2014

Synopsis: In "The Hundred-Foot Journey," Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is a culinary ingenue with the gastronomic equivalent of perfect pitch. Displaced from their native India, the Kadam family, led by Papa (Om Puri), settles in the quaint village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the south of France. Filled with charm, it is both picturesque and elegant - the ideal place to settle down and open an Indian restaurant, the Maison Mumbai. That is, until the chilly chef proprietress of Le Saule Pleureur, a Michelin starred, classical French restaurant run by Madame Mallory (Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren), gets wind of it. Her icy protests against the new Indian restaurant a hundred feet from her own, escalate to all out war between the two establishments - until Hassan's passion for French haute cuisine and for Mme. Mallory's enchanting sous chef, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon), combine with his mysteriously delicious talent to weave magic between their two cultures and imbue Saint-Antonin with the flavors of life that even Mme. Mallory cannot ignore. At first Mme. Mallory's culinary rival, she eventually recognizes Hassan's gift as a chef and takes him under her wing. "The Hundred-Foot Journey" abounds with flavors that burst across the tongue. A stimulating triumph over exile, blossoming with passion and heart, with marjoram and madras, it is a portrayal of two worlds colliding and one boy's drive to find the comfort of home, in every pot, wherever he may be.

Movie Review:

Movies about food can’t go wrong – from the classic Babette’s Feast (1987) and the luscious Like Water for Chocolate (1992), to the loveable Ratatouille (2007) and the recent Chef (2014), there’s something about seeing food on screen which makes it impossible for you to dislike the film. Here, throw in extra ingredients of the award winning Helen Mirren (the 69 actress has won an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards and two Cannes Film Festival accolades), a likeable Indian family and a gastronomic mix of classy French food and flavourful Indian cuisine, you’ll get a feel good movie peppered with laughs, love and all rounded feel good vibes.

The American comedy drama movie based on the novel of the same name by Richard C Morais, tells the story of the Kadam family who seeks asylum in Europeafter their family restaurant ends up being destroyed by a mob upset over an election dispute. There, the father of the family clashes with Madame Mallory, proprietress of a celebrated French restaurant after he opens his eatery nearby. Things change when an undeniable chemistry causes the somewhat uptight Madame to take in the Indian patriarch’s gifted son to be a chef under her wing.

Director Lasse Hallstrom is no stranger to food movies, having helmed Chocolat (2000) starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. The Swedish filmmaker is also apt at making feel good movies, considering his filmography which includes The Cider House Rules (1999), Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009) and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen(2011). His latest work is no different as he relies on food to carry the story, creating luxurious cooking scenes that will satisfy any fans of food TV programmes. He also uses food to make a statement on how modern fine dining may be nothing more than a trend. This is complemented by screenwriter Steven Knight’s (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises) effortless attempt at weaving between the story’s cross cultural clash and novelist Morais’ fascination with food.

Besides food, the 122 minute movie is also gives viewers an opportunity to gawk at the scenic French countryside. The setting is the perfect place for romance – watch as the Madame’s helper and the patriarch’s son chat their way to falling in love in the postcard worthy backdrops, while bantering about food, of course.

Mirren, who received a damehood for services to performing arts in 2003, is a terrific actress. The admirable artiste needs little effort to cement both the good and bad in her character, and is a joy to watch as usual. She is matched by Om Puri (East is East, Gandhi), a veteran actor who has appeared in hundreds of Bollywood productions. The supporting cast of Indian actors Manish Dayal, Amit Shah and Farzana Dua Elahe give decent performances as well.

This movie exudes easy charm and has an unforced natural elegance. While it moves at a predictable pace, it does what it’s supposed to do – making you enjoy a movie filled with pleasant characters, terrific looking food and a heartwarming message that the world is a nice, fuzzy place to live in. 

Movie Rating:

(Pleasant characters, sumptuous looking food and a warm, fuzzy message makes this movie an enjoyable watch)

Review by John Li