Julie & Julia

Rating - ***

Summary - 

Amy Adams stars in this truth-inspired tale as Julie Powell, who decides to enliven her uneventful life by cooking all 524 recipes outlined in Julia Child's culinary classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Based on Powell's book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, director Nora Ephron's heartwarming dramedy also stars Meryl Streep as legendary chef Child, for which she won a Golden Globe.

- Netflix.com

Review -

Ever since I was a little girl I have had a love of both cooking, and eating, which (along with my mothers influence) has inspired my love of cooking movies.

I thoroughly enjoyed Julie & Julia and as a person who can never quite keep a deadline, it was so easy for me to relate to Julie Powell's (real or imagined) need of a project that she could finish. 

This movie brought to mind the movie The Hours (2002) ( starring Nicole Kidman, Julian Moore, and Meryl Streep herself!) only in the way that it combined more than one line of time though (Although I feel "The Hours" did it more impressively). 

Meryl Streep plays Julia Child, and Amy Adams plays Julie Powell, and I felt they were both wonderful and completely convincing in this movie.

As any good cooking movie should, this movie elicited 2 deep resonating wants in me. A want to eat and a want to get into the kitchen and start cooking!

The movie started slowly enough with Julie (may I call you Julie?) beginning this regimen, as she calls it, where she will work her way through Julia Child's book " Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Americans" though I honestly don't remember if they state which volume. She sets her deadline for only a year, giving her 365 days for something like 524 dishes. While we watch with growing excitement as Julie begins her project, we also see Mrs. Child moving to Paris and finding her passion for cooking at the Cordon Bleu, after many tried and failed attempts at other hobbies. We see both women work through similar trials, spouting similar feelings5 about things that are going on in their lives, though in this movie, they never meet. 

I'd love to tell you more, but that may detract from your urge to go watch it for yourself, and I wouldn't want to ruin your appetite.

The movie has all the great ups and downs, and some wonderful humor. I found myself chuckling quite a few times at Ms. Streep's wonderful impression of Julia's Trill. Honestly I am not much of a Meryl Streep fan, but I must admit, that this movie has made me willing to go and watch some of her movies yet again and give her another chance. She was, in my opinion, completely convincing.

Dont be fooled by the humor though, there is drama. At the end of the movie I was absolutely crushed during a, hm... I guess I would call it a revelation made by Mrs. Powell. 

In the end, don't let my 3 star rating fool you. I quite enjoyed this movie, but I simply don't know how soon I will be willing to watch it again.

Meanwhile, if, like me, you grew up watching the cooking channel this movie is an absolute MUST SEE whether it becomes one of your instant favorites or the one time was enough. As for me? I'm sure I will find myself watching it yet again, but unlike Heavy Metal (1981) I will not be watching it once bi-weekly. Though it has inspired me to find and own copies of Julia Child's cookbooks. 

In the end my thanks goes out to The stars, Creators, and of course the people this movie was based on, because it has opened up an interest in Mrs. Child's cooking once more for a generation much closer to my own.

I hope you enjoy the film, and would suggest watching it while whipping up a meal of your own or else you will find yourself suddenly with the urge to get into the kitchen and banging those pots and pans as you create something whether it be a grilled cheese or a dish from Julia Child her selves cookbook, something your housemates may not be to happy about. I myself have satisfied that urge by typing out this review. 

Julie and Julia recieves a thumb up and three stars as it has left quite a good taste in my mouth.

Bon Appétit