Best Mood to Walk In With: Not hungry! :)
Don't See This Movie If: You want lots of action in place of character development
Julie & Julia is the new The Devil Wears Prada. Not because of the storyline, but because of the way it was put together. You take a so-so book aimed at a mostly female audience, let Meryl Streep work her magic to create an unforgettable character, add a newer but talented actress that can hold her own with Streep, add them to a script that has both humorous and touching moments, and turn it into a film that caters to women but will still be bearable for their male escorts.
Without a doubt Meryl Streep carries this movie. Anyone else in the role of Julia Child would have been either annoyingly grating or amusingly caricature-like. Instead. Streep creates a larger than life character that captures both Child's renowned mannerisms and voice without making them seem like a SNL skit. Streep also successfully shows how not only the people who met Child's fell in love with her, but how she captivated America with both her cooking and her presence.
Without Streep's endearing performance, it would have been difficult to believe why Amy Adams's character could have ever fallen in love with Julia Child. But playing off such a veteran as Streep, Adams gets to reveal why she is one of Hollywood's brightest new stars. Adams had already captivated us in movies like Enchanted, Doubt, and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, all of which played up her wide-eyed innocence and amusing lack of understanding for reality. While I loved those movies, I enjoy films, like this one and Sunshine Cleaning, that allow Adams to still be adorable while also giving her more range for her character.
Julie & Julia is a coming of age movie, a genre we have seen often in the past few years in theaters, but for an unexpected audience -- women who have already gotten married and made it to adulthood. Although this movie is somewhat about cooking, the main theme is about women who find something to be confident about and a way to be successful in their own right. And though the focus is on the women, the film also shows how important the men in their life are as well. After all, success's sweet taste is multiplied by the number who you can share it with.
Keep Your Eyes Closed For: Meryl Streep sex scenes (PG-style, no skin shows, but still not something I cared to see insinuated)
Keep Your Eyes Open For: Amy Adams's meltdown in the kitchen. Hilarious.
All in all, Julie & Julia is a wonderful movie for a date night with the ladies, but most men will still find it bearable if not enjoyable. Although Nora Ephron is known for her hits like When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle, this film rivals them in both content and execution, but comes up the winner concerning mass appeal.
Movies Are Life. ~ K
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