inkblot11 Review of Julie & Julia

Julie & Julia (2009)

A minor "jule", er, jewel, not perfect, but, very, very admirable

[8/10 · 3 August 2009]

Julie Powell (Amy Adams) is an aspiring writer but, at present, has a day job as an insurance administrative assistant. She and her supportive husband have just moved from Brooklyn to Queens, to an apartment above a pizza palace, on a busy street, but with more floor space than their previous digs! Yet, when Julie lunches with her more successful, executive-type galpals, she ends up feeling diminished. One day, as she is cooking dinner, she announces to her mate that she could be a writer and he encourages her to start. a "blog". Taking it one step further, Julie launches her blog with a vow to cook her way through Julia Child's cookbook in one year. So, it begins. But, will her dream of stepping out of "also-ran" status be achievable? Meanwhile, in flashback, Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and her diplomat husband, Paul (Stanley Tucci) have just arrived in Paris, France, to her great joy. Not only will the couple have a breathtaking ambiance for the few years but, since Julia loves to eat, the daily, very sumptuous restaurant fare is a food fantasy come true. Yet, with Paul away at work, what should she, Julia, do to keep herself occupied? Why not enroll in cooking school? But, gaining entry to the best-of-the-best, the Cordon Bleu, is not easy for a woman in the 1950's. Nevertheless, Julia does so and also becomes interested in writing a French cuisine cookbook in English, for none exists. Will her dreams be realized, too? This is a very admirable film with terrific performances and eye-opening biographical details. Child was an amazing women and Streep brings her to life most wonderfully. But, how cleverly Ephron has brought her story to the screen, by interspersing it with the tale of another admirable woman, Julie Powell! This is a major feat, deserving great praise. Adams, too, does very fine work as Powell, while a "toned-down" Tucci gives a beautifully understated and touching performance as Paul. The rest of the cast is quite nice, too. As for the film's amenities, from sets to costumes to camera work, they are very fine indeed. Ephron's script and direction deserve a hearty congratulations, also, although there are a few moments when the story seems to lag. Perhaps a sharper edit would have done the trick. Nevertheless, here is a film that is far above the typical Hollywood offering, so, anyone interested in quality film making should make plans for a viewing very soon.