photo via www.ew.com
And we made it! Our countdown to the opening of Julie & Julia is complete. What a great week of all Julia Child all the time!
My husband and I just returned from the 7:10 p.m. showing of the film. As his Facebook status confirms, he was one of the only men in the theater under the age of 60. What a trooper!
The movie alternates between telling the story of Julia Child as she undertakes the writing of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the blogger, Julie Powell, who spends a year trying to conquer it.
Meryl Streep’s interpretation of the jubilant, larger-than-life Julia Child was phenomenal. Streep captures Child’s quirky and sometimes awkward mannerisms and her all-too-famous squawky voice with perfect precision.
The stylists did an impressive job of transforming Streep into the tall, curly-haired brunette. And the costumes! Ah, the costumes! The period-wear in the Child sequences was gorgeous. I found myself drooling over the party-wear in one particular scene when Julia Child’s sister comes to visit. Amy Adams’ wardrobe of flirty vintage finds was also convincing.
As I watched Paul and Julia Child enjoying their years living in Europe it made me remember my own year-long European stint and my subsequent travels around the continent. As Julia walked through the food stalls and markets of Paris, I fondly recalled the faces of my favorite open-air market vendors in Madrid — the kind woman who sold pechuga de pollo and huevos who seemed to take pity on me and my broken Spanish; the older couple who sold vegetables who were always nicer than their rival purveyors one stall over; and the butcher who patiently explained how best to cook whatever cut of beef I had requested that day. Food in Europe — and the experience of buying and cooking it — is incomparable to anything else. Maybe that’s why Julia’s book was so groundbreaking: a cookbook daring to teach Americans to eat, cook, and savor food like the French.
My one disappointment in the film was the Julie Powell storyline. It fell flat for me and at times was little slow. Was I supposed to identify with her? Feel sorry for her? Cheer her on? It was unclear.
Overall, I found the film very enjoyable and a great capstone to this Julia Child Tribute Week! But, thankfully, the tribute doesn’t need to end. There are Child’s cookbooks we can always turn to, as well as her television segments, courtesy of PBS.
Next week we’re back to our regular focus on all things entertaining — weddings, parties, and gracious hosting. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Got your message on Twitter, so I thought I would drop a line! Your thoughts on the movie are nearly parallel to my own. I really enjoyed Streep’s take on Julia Child. I’m starting to wonder if there is a role she cannot master.
I also agree with you about the Julie Powell story line. I honestly felt that her husband was a more interesting character than she was at times. This surprised me, as I never pictured Amy Adams as an actress to be overshadowed by a relatively bland story line. It also seems as though cooking Julia’s recipes was all too simple. Finding all of the right kitchen tools and rather eccentric ingredients would have been an hours-long battle for me, but to Julie (in Queens, and after a full work day,) it seemed unusually easy. It was all a little hard for me to relate to.
But no matter, Streep stole the show, per usual. I loved watching her struggle with the language and exploring the markets, as it reminded me so much of my own time living in Florence, Italy. (Just like your own in Madrid.)
I also enjoyed the portrayal of her relationship with her husband. Having just finished reading “My Life in France,” I was happy to see their relationship translated so vibrantly onto the big screen, however unusual their match may have appeared. (And how funny was her sister?!)
I didn’t know much about Julia Child until buzz about the movie started, but the more I learn, the more I love this wonderful woman. I would gladly pay to see it again… and brave the parking lot full of senior drivers. Well worth it! :)
[...] to Julia Child and the release of the movie, Julie & Julia. The series included my humble review of the movie, information about Julia Child’s kitchen at the Smithsonian, Julia-themed party ideas, and [...]