Chef

Starring: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, Emjay Anthony, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Bobby Canavale, Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt, Amy Sedaris, Robert Downey Jr.
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A well-known chef (Jon Favreau) faces a crossroads in his life and career while he contemplates leaving his kitchen as he struggles to connect with his son (Emjay Anthony).

Review:

Tim: Jon Favreau directs an entertaining movie in Chef. The movie might be a little lightweight, but it's a pleasant affair that tackles food and family in a fun way. It's an enjoyable movie and one that I was pleased with. If you're looking for a really meaty portion, you might need to look elsewhere. If you're looking for a nice tasting, light dish, Chef could be your answer (and the food jokes start!).

The movie succeeds most when it explores Favreau's character, especially in regards to his passionate, nearly all-consuming love for food. It's a delight to see the way he handles food. That seems strange, but Favreau shoots the film so that the food preparation scenes are almost mesmerizing to watch. I loved the care and focus of the grilled cheese scene, for example. If you told me that one of the highlights of a movie would be watching a dude make grilled cheese, I would have laughed at you. And yet, Chef delivers that scene in an incredibly memorable way. It makes my mouth water and I'm craving grilled cheese just thinking about that scene. The love for food is so important because in comparison, Favreau's character doesn't show the same passion or energy for his family. That's problematic at the beginning, but contributes greatly to his character arc through the film.

Favreau was good in the role. He's fun to watch on screen. While I've never believed he was great actor (and still don't), he works well in the role. I do wonder if I would have liked this movie better with a stronger actor in the lead, but his passion for the project does come through the screen. Emjay Anthony was wonderfully cast as his son and gives a strong performance. Sofia Vergara never felt fully fused with the rest of the cast. She does seems so larger-than-life, it's hard for her to play restrained. While she certainly makes a much appreciated effort here, I still think another casting choice would have been wise. John Leguizamo gives a terrific supporting performance and I was reminded of what an underrated talent he was. Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr. felt too tacked-on to be much use to the film. It felt like Favreau was calling in his Iron Man favors by bringing them both into this film. They distracted more than they added (especially Downey), so their impact was minimal. I loved seeing Dustin Hoffman here (I always do), but I just wish he had more to do on screen.

I liked what Favreau attempted here. After a series of big budget films Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Cowboys & Aliens, he was getting back more to his roots in these smaller scale, more intimate films. I think he definitely has some talent there. I really liked that this movie felt very contemporary- Twitter and social media was integrated as an important part of the story, but it never felt like an advertisement. A lot of the drama comes from a middle-aged man not fully understanding the changing world of technology and social media. That felt very appropriate and timely. I really liked how Favreau combined those elements with the food aspect of the film.

I would have liked this movie more had it not been for a few flaws. First off, I was interested in these characters, but I never felt a deep emotional connection to them. I wanted more of that. Secondly, Vergara was miscast. Third, Downey especially and to a lesser extent Johansson both felt a little gimmicky and detracted some from the flow of the film. Fourth, it felt a little convenient and Hollwoodish for Favreau's character's ex-wife's former flame to just randomly give him a food truck. That part of the script stretched the incredulity a bit. While most of these flaws are minor, the biggest complaint is just needing more of that emotional connection to the characters.

So, Chef might not be a great movie, but it's a solid film and one worth checking out. I had a fun time watching this movie- now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go make a grilled cheese sandwich.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Hundred-Foot Journey, Made, Iron Man 2