CHEF review
(Reviewed by Melody Werner)
Chef is a 2014 dark comedy written/directed by and starring Jon Favreau... among an ensemble cast including John Leguizamo and Sofia Vergara (and this is an indy?). Following a loud-mouthed, down on his luck chef who starts a food truck to get through his mid-life crisis and learn how to be a good father and not a dickhead. A critical darling and a film I've seen talked about quite a lot, I decided to try it since it's on Netflix. So it's definitely a damn good film, though not "set the world on fire" good.
Visually there's not a whole lot to talk about, as this isn't some sci-fi/fantasy epic or experiment in psychedelics. But the sets and all that are nice. In terms of the soundtrack, I personally dislike it but it fits with the film well, so I can't fault it. The acting is top-notch with each performance running the gamut. I will say that the kid actor is surprisingly great and genuine in terms of his acting.
Narratively, Chef is pretty straightforward and hard to critique. It's predictable in this respect but that's not what the film is about, being more of a genuine dramedy. The characters are genuinely likable, though with Favreau's character written the way he is, it's hard to identify with him. He's an asshole to virtually everyone, acts like a child in points, and he comes off as arrogant and incompetent in many ways. And this is my biggest problem with Chef: not once does the protagonist have a long-standing, negative consequence for his actions. Tell your boss to fuck off right in his face even though what he said before was correct? Don't worry, you still have a job! Go crazy in the middle of a restaurant you work at and start throwing food at customers screaming "It's molten, it's fucking molten!"? Become a meme! But oh, that meme is embarrassing (even though you agree with just about everything you said and just wish everybody wasn't seeing you say it on video)? Well now everybody loves you and will buy anything you cook! Oh, you're a bad father? Don't worry, now you can prove how you're actually a really good parent over one summer! The guy never develops or learns anything, he doesn't get penalized for actions which he should be penalized for, and makes him unidentifiable. Eventually you realize nothing bad will really happen to him which sticks, and that ruins the more dramatic elements of the film, which are strong themselves.
But it is a comedy too, so how funny is Chef? Very. There's a lot hilarious characters interactions and banter between characters. The delivery is on point and the film can make you laugh frequently. The dialogue is clever and a lot of fun. However it does have some scenes and lines which can't help but feel self-masturbatory for Favreau's character, which do drag at times. While the film is well paced and it mostly doesn't drag, it feels too short for what it is, and thus, unfulfilling.
All around Chef is a nice little film which you should definitely give a try. While it has its faults, the positives rise above them and make the film work overall. It's definitely perfectly enjoyable, though as I said in the preface, not extraordinary. As a food film there aren't many good ones out there, so that's a plus. So if you want a damn good black dramedy focusing on food, this'll be your bag. Chef gets an 8/10.
Solid
Summary:
A pretty natural dramedy with superb acting, fantastic humor, great polish, mostly enjoyable characters, witty dialogue, and smooth pacing. The simple plot doesn't really add or take away from the film. Its weak points include its main character, drama which is weaker than it should be due to a lack of effects that should come from the protagonist's actions, and a lack of satisfaction.
(originally posted: 10/1/2017)
Chef is a 2014 dark comedy written/directed by and starring Jon Favreau... among an ensemble cast including John Leguizamo and Sofia Vergara (and this is an indy?). Following a loud-mouthed, down on his luck chef who starts a food truck to get through his mid-life crisis and learn how to be a good father and not a dickhead. A critical darling and a film I've seen talked about quite a lot, I decided to try it since it's on Netflix. So it's definitely a damn good film, though not "set the world on fire" good.
Visually there's not a whole lot to talk about, as this isn't some sci-fi/fantasy epic or experiment in psychedelics. But the sets and all that are nice. In terms of the soundtrack, I personally dislike it but it fits with the film well, so I can't fault it. The acting is top-notch with each performance running the gamut. I will say that the kid actor is surprisingly great and genuine in terms of his acting.
Narratively, Chef is pretty straightforward and hard to critique. It's predictable in this respect but that's not what the film is about, being more of a genuine dramedy. The characters are genuinely likable, though with Favreau's character written the way he is, it's hard to identify with him. He's an asshole to virtually everyone, acts like a child in points, and he comes off as arrogant and incompetent in many ways. And this is my biggest problem with Chef: not once does the protagonist have a long-standing, negative consequence for his actions. Tell your boss to fuck off right in his face even though what he said before was correct? Don't worry, you still have a job! Go crazy in the middle of a restaurant you work at and start throwing food at customers screaming "It's molten, it's fucking molten!"? Become a meme! But oh, that meme is embarrassing (even though you agree with just about everything you said and just wish everybody wasn't seeing you say it on video)? Well now everybody loves you and will buy anything you cook! Oh, you're a bad father? Don't worry, now you can prove how you're actually a really good parent over one summer! The guy never develops or learns anything, he doesn't get penalized for actions which he should be penalized for, and makes him unidentifiable. Eventually you realize nothing bad will really happen to him which sticks, and that ruins the more dramatic elements of the film, which are strong themselves.
But it is a comedy too, so how funny is Chef? Very. There's a lot hilarious characters interactions and banter between characters. The delivery is on point and the film can make you laugh frequently. The dialogue is clever and a lot of fun. However it does have some scenes and lines which can't help but feel self-masturbatory for Favreau's character, which do drag at times. While the film is well paced and it mostly doesn't drag, it feels too short for what it is, and thus, unfulfilling.
All around Chef is a nice little film which you should definitely give a try. While it has its faults, the positives rise above them and make the film work overall. It's definitely perfectly enjoyable, though as I said in the preface, not extraordinary. As a food film there aren't many good ones out there, so that's a plus. So if you want a damn good black dramedy focusing on food, this'll be your bag. Chef gets an 8/10.
Solid
Summary:
A pretty natural dramedy with superb acting, fantastic humor, great polish, mostly enjoyable characters, witty dialogue, and smooth pacing. The simple plot doesn't really add or take away from the film. Its weak points include its main character, drama which is weaker than it should be due to a lack of effects that should come from the protagonist's actions, and a lack of satisfaction.
(originally posted: 10/1/2017)
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