Written By Written By Jesse Delia:
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Hey All!
The Hundred-Foot Journey is the newest film directed by Academy Award-nominee Lasse Halström (Chocolat, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Whats Eating Gilbert Grape) based on the book of the same name. The story follows a young Indian man, Hassan Kadam, and his family who have been moving since a tragedy befell them in their native country. We are first introduced to the family as each member is explaining to customs agents why they want to enter France (a very creative and believable way to tell their back story). The family then has a near fatal vehicular accident in which their brakes give out and they are forced to stay the night in the small village Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val (shot on location in the south of France).
Luckily they are shown hospitality by a young woman in the village, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon). Hassan and his siblings want to get the vehicle fixed and move on, but their father has other plans. Papa Kadam buys an old restaurant which stands 100 feet from Le Saule Pleurer (a Michelin-starred classical restaurant). Le Saule Pleurer is run with an iron fist by Madame Mallory (Academy Award Winner Dame Helen Mirren) and she dislikes the competition. Things become more complicated when Hasan becomes infatuated with Marguerite, who also happens to be a sous chef at Le Saule Pleurer. The continuing story goes through so many turns and twists as it deals with prejudice, forgiveness, young love, old love, tradition vs modern, ambition, betrayal, and lots of soul searching.
The themes and formula used are very similar to other Halström films. The importance of family from Gilbert Grape and the clashing of cultures from Salmon Fishing in the Yemen are similar to this film. All of these tools allow Halström to craft a charming and dramatic film with beautiful scenery and delicious foods. All involved perform spectacularly with the actor Manish Dayal really standing out amongst the crowd. Dayal takes the character of Hassan from a young ambitious boy with raw talent for cooking to a worldly and confident master chef.
His transformation, though subtle, reflects his growing talent and shows how he is a star on the rise. The rest of the cast share chemistry so natural and appealing that it makes each character, no matter how they misbehave, undeniably likeable. This chemistry is proven most with the relationship between Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren most recognized from her portrayal as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen) and Papa Kadam (played by Indian film star Om Puri). Their back and forth dialogue and actions range from rapid fire to adorable.
Amongst the summer block busters, this film is a rare treat that is both family-friendly and engaging. Though the film is just over 2 hours in length, a lot of time is covered in those two hours as we watch young Hassan go from boy to man and see how his family impacts and becomes apart of a village that once treated them as outsiders. While I cannot recommend this film enough, one important piece of advice is that I recommend seeing this film on a full stomach; otherwise you will leave craving the food you see on the screen!
THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY arrives in theaters everywhere Today! Run out and get your tickets now!
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Comments
I’ve wondered if this was going to be as good as the trailer looked! I’ll probably have to wait until it is out on DVD or available via streaming but I can’t wait to see it!