Jon Favreau Cooks Up A Delight with "Chef"

By Anonymous
   After close to ten years of big-budget movies laden with special effects, Jon Favreau's "Chef" is as amiable and appealing as most movies come. It is truly a delicious delight (forgive the corny food puns, I feel there'll be many). It's funny, heart-warming, clever, and it made me hungry. No joke. I had a bucket of popcorn and a drink and found myself hungry the entire way through. There is a fine display of culinary pieces throughout the movie that will wet the driest of pallets; however it's Favreau who truly sizzles.

   Carl Casper (Favreau) is a renowned chef in LA who struggles with the limitations of working in a restaurant where he isn't free to express himself "artistically". After eventually losing his job, he decides to start up a food truck in order to regain some creativity and individuality, all while striving to piece together the awkward fragments of his somewhat estranged family. Traveling across country with his son and sous-chef Martin, played by the always-entertaining John Leguizamo, we're treated to a buffet of delicious foods that will make anyone hungry, as well as a story that everyone will enjoy.

   Wearing the cap of writer, director, and lead actor is a tough load to handle, but Favreau handles this goulash of responsibility quite fluidly, which can be contributed to the immense talent he's graced with. The guy knows what he's doing; how to make a comedy with great dialogue, intriguing character situations and an overall character arc. You can tell on every frame that he was as passionate with the film he was making as Carl was about cooking. Favreau, in fact, did all of his own cooking under the tutelage of food truck chef Roy Choi. He was pretty blunt in saying that he had no desire to make a cinematic contribution of sorts, but quite simply fell in love with the idea, ran with it, resulting in a wonderful film that is as unique as the foods it displays. 

   Though the story is simplistic, it's only downfall is that it may get lost in the hubbub of this summer's big blockbusters. However, it is still a great movie. It'll warm your heart...and induce hunger. So, just be aware of that.  

 [image via cinesnatch.blogspot.com]

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