Julie & Julia (movie review)

Wow... Seminary takes a lot out of you! These couple of posts I'm putting in now should have been put in back in August, or early September at the latest. Oh well. Tonight, a quick movie review of Julie & Julia, which Jen and I saw on opening weekend, and many of you have probably seen by NOW :)

If you haven't, it's not a must see for theaters, but it is a nice, relaxing movie for a quiet night at home.


What it is:
The story of Julie Powell, based on her book (which I have not read) of the same name; according to Amazon, "Julie & Julia is the story of Julie Powell's attempt to revitalize her marriage, restore her ambition, and save her soul by cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, in a period of 365 days. The result is a masterful medley of Bridget Jones' Diary meets Like Water for Chocolate, mixed with a healthy dose of original wit, warmth, and inspiration that sets this memoir apart from most tales of personal redemption."

The movie tells the tale of Julie's efforts, during which she authored a popular blog. It incorporates little vignettes of Julia Child's life, which often provide a nice break from what would otherwise be a bit of an emotional roller coaster - though neither are her parts always funny and lighthearted. Going in, I'd expected a light, chick-flick style comedy. It did have it's funny moments (Julia Child: "These damn things are hotter than a stiff cock!" re: a piece of pasta), but it was actually a touching look at two real women's struggles, and how they worked through them using cooking as a therapy mechanism.


Who stars:
Amy Adams - Julie Powell
Meryl Streep - Julia Child
Stanley Tucci - Paul Child
Chris Messina - Eric Powell