Do you have a crappy job? Is your boss a total jerk? Do you feel like you can't express your creative ideas? Then you will instantly relate to Jon Favreau's brilliant, hilarious, and charming new film: Chef.
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| Jon Favreau |
You may remember Jon Favreau as the director of all your friends' favorite Christmas movie, Elf, and Iron Man, the film responsible for sparking the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a franchise that is still going strong to this day.
Of course, Chef is a much different film than those films I mentioned. There are no Christmas elves or billionaires in robotic suits.
It's a simple story of a divorced chef named Carl Jefe, who works in a Los Angelos restaurant. Carl feels unhappy with his life and job, even though he has Scarlett Johansson as his co-worker. His boss, played by Dustin Hoffman, has a problem adapting to change. He insists that Carl Jefe sticks with the same menu they've used for almost a decade. After receiving a harsh review from a famous food critic, Carl Jefe gets angry and quits his job. Uncertain of what to do, he receives the help of his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara) and her ex-boyfriend (played by Robert Downy Jr.), who suggest that he start a food delivery truck service. That way he can be his own boss and cook whatever he wants. His son, Percy (played by Emjay Anthony) and his friend and former co-worker Martin (John Leguizamo), both tag along on his journey cross country to serve Cubano sandwiches.
As you can see, there isn't much conflict in the story. There's no direct bad guy, no epic quest, no macguffin, no misunderstandings, no car chases, no explosions, etc. It's all just a simple, basic cross-country trip with fine foods. Much like how the main character refuses to cook by the menu, this movie refuses to play by the rules of typical Hollywood storytelling. It's not a complicated story. But it doesn't have to be. Part of the charm is the simplicity of its plot. And at its heart, it's about a divorced father trying to bond with his son, and learning to do what ultimately makes him happy.
Jon Favreau, who also directed this film, plays Carl Jefe. He makes Carl Jefe a very likable and relatable protagonist. He's flawed, but not to the point where you have a hard time rooting for him. He's like the kind of person you would love to cook a meal with.
Robert Downy Jr. is in only one scene as Sofia Vergara's ex-boyfriend. And I wish he was in more scenes. RDJ never fails to steal any scene he's in. He could just play an endangered citizen in a Godzilla movie, and still be charismatic. In my opinion, he is one of the top 10 best actors working today, and his performance in this movie is proof of that.
Sofia Vergara of Modern Family is charming and lovable as Carl's ex-wife, Inez. It would be easy to make her just a bitter, nagging throw-away character. But Favreau's script makes her feel likable, and important to the story. John Leguizamo is hilarious as Carl's best friend, Martin. Dustin Hoffman is excellent as Carl's hot-headed, stubborn boss. And Scarlett Johansson, my celebrity crush, is endearing as always as Carls' friend and restaurant hostess, and gives great advice to Carl on doing what makes you happy.
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| Who cares if my boss would be a jerk? If I had this woman as my co-worker, I would never, ever want to quit my job! |
But the real star of this movie is the food!
Cubano sandwiches, beignets, French Onion soup, Filet mignon, Caviar egg, etc. Good luck keeping your mouth from watering! I dare you!
Much like Disney/Pixar's Ratatouillie, this is a film filled with fine cuisines that will make you immediately look for a good restaurant after it's over. Seriously, the food in this movie is just incredible! You just have to see it to believe it!
In conclusion, Chef is a delicious meal of a film. It has a simple, and entertaining narrative, characters that are lovable, stellar performances from an all-star cast, and lots of delicious looking food. It's an excellent showcase for director Jon Favreau, and it proves that Marvel's Iron Man was no fluke. It's a film that will leave you hungry for more.
Rating - ***** (5 stars out of five)
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