The Taste of Things (#517)


Yep!  I admit it.  I’m an incurable romantic, not only on Valentine’s Day but every day. Which is probably why I liked THE TASTE OF THINGS, a French movie about food, cooking and love.  This movie, beautifully filmed and directed, stars the always excellent Juliette Binoche and other fine actors.  Since I fell down a flight of stairs more than 4 years ago, I have no sense of taste or smell, but the incredible cinematography in this movie convinced me that I could actually smell and taste the food they were preparing and eating almost nonstop throughout the film.  Taking place in the late 1800s, it focuses on a gourmet chef and his cook, who have been creating world class cuisine together for 20 years.  The Chef, Dodin, is in love with his cook, Eugenie, but she won’t commit, so it becomes an ongoing romance, and he begins creating dishes only for her.  I won’t say more, because I don’t want to spoil this one for any of you who might be able to see it.  Caution.  This is not a film for everyone, which might account for the fact that only 47% of audiences gave it a thumbs up.  Critics on the other hand liked it as much as I did, with a 99% thumbs up!  Incidentally,  Tran Anh Hung won at the Cannes Film Festival as best director and the film was nominated for the Palme D’Or (best picture). 

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