Monday, August 31, 2009

Mostly Martha

Some films need to be watched, and watched again. This 2001 German film (which was later the basis for the U.S. No Reservations) is one of the best food movies around. See the original, not the re-make. We have Martha (a chef) who inherits her niece Lina after a tragic accident. Lina gets integrated into the life of the kitchen catalyzes a relationship between said Martha and her temporary assistant chef Mario. While the development of the relationships between Martha/Lina, Martha/Mario and Mario/Lina is the primary driving story, the film is written so that this primacy is somehow subtley secondary to the kitchen and the food. This is perhaps best observed in the opening scene with Martha on the couch talking to her psychologist. And the talk is a deeply intimate description of the preparation of a particular meal. An excellent film - go see it.
5-stars (out of 5)

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