The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)

The Kadam family leaves India for France where they open a restaurant directly across the road from Madame Mallory's Michelin-starred eatery.

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers:

Steven Knight (screenplay), Richard C. Morais (novel)

Stars:

Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Helen Mirren	...	Madame Mallory
Om Puri	...	Papa
Manish Dayal	...	Hassan
Charlotte Le Bon	...	Marguerite
Amit Shah	...	Mansur
Farzana Dua Elahe	...	Mahira
Dillon Mitra	...	Mukthar
Aria Pandya	...	Aisha
Michel Blanc	...	Mayor
Clément Sibony	...	Jean-Pierre
Vincent Elbaz	...	Paul
Juhi Chawla	...	Mama
Alban Aumard	...	Marcel
Shuna Lemoine	...	Mayor's Wife
Antoine Blanquefort	...	Thomas

Storyline

The family of talented cook, Hassan Kadam, has a life filled with both culinary delights and profound loss. Drifting through Europe after fleeing political violence in India that killed the family restaurant business and their mother, the Kadams arrive in France. Once there, a chance auto accident and the kindness of a young woman, Marguerite, in the village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val inspires Papa Kadam to set up a Indian restaurant there. Unfortunately, this puts the Kadams in direct competition with the snobbish Madame Mallory's acclaimed haute cuisine establishment across the street where Marguerite also works as a sous-chef. The resulting rivalry eventually escalates in personal intensity until it goes too far. In response, there is a bridging of sides initiated by Hassan, Marguerite and Madame Mallory herself, both professional and personal, that encourages an understanding that will change both sides forever.

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Plot Keywords:

restaurant | haute cuisine | michelin guide | indian cuisine | chef | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements, some violence, language and brief sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site

Country:

USA United Arab Emirates India

Language:

English French

Release Date:

8 August 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un viaje de diez metros

Filming Locations:

France

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$10,979,290 (USA) (8 August 2014)

Gross:

$54,235,441 (USA) (28 November 2014)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Studios, Harpo Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The two restaurants facing each other were digitally created. The Maison Mumbai actually faced a large field. The producers paved a 75 m stretch of road and built a building facade on the opposite side with a blue screen on the top.

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Goofs

Marguerite collected mushroom called Boletus luridiformis which is fully edible, but she was told by Madame Mallory that it is Boletus satanas which is poisonous.

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Quotes

Hassan: [narrating] And my mother was my instructor.
Mama: The sea urchins taste of life, don't you think ? Life has its own flavor. Hidden in that shell, raw, beautiful life.
Hassan: [narrating] It was an education for all of the senses.
Mama: But to cook, you must kill. You make ghosts. You cook to make ghosts. Spirits that live on in every ingredient.
Hassan: [narrating] But mostly, I was taught.
Hassan: [Slurping] How to taste.
Mama: Can you taste them?

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Connections

References The Queen (2006)

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Soundtracks

Din Maheene Saal Gujarte
Written by Anand Bakshi and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma (as Sharma Pyarelal)
Performed by Lata Mangeshkar & Kishore Kumar
Courtesy of Saregama India by arrangement with The Royalty Network, Inc .

User Reviews

Among the most refreshing movie of recent times

When I first noticed the ratings on IMDb, my expectations before watching the movie were substantially toned down. I went to the movie with a rather unassuming frame of mind, hoping something good would come out of from the two hours I planned to spend.

But, I must say that ratings do not hand down the justice the movie deserves. The story is set in south France, and narrates a clash of two beautiful cultures via its respective culinary grandeur. Further embellished into the story line are two very beautiful actors. Overall, the movie leaves a very refreshing taste in the end. The entire movie has a very subtle and harmonious tone, with no significant ups or downs, clash or surprises. Its a very easy to watch, light movie that can be enjoyed with the entire family.

I feel this movie presents an excellent characterization of the type of globalization our society has come to bear. Unfortunately, as embodied by the reviews and ratings, it appears the western audience is not yet ready to embrace a non-western, non-Caucasian actors. I hope this changes soon.