Off the Menu

Since reading and seeing the film "Like Water for Chocolate", this film ranks high for me in the food film genre. The character, Javiera oozes with love and passion for unadulterated food from her hands in a presentation worthy of an art masterpiece. The town of Villanueva and the community inspires one to want to visit New Mexico. The scenery is breathtaking. I enjoyed both Dania Ramirez and Maria Conchita Alonso as strong women leads. True, the film is predictable, but in a good way.

Like the Milagro Beanfield War, the scenery steals the show. .

I enjoyed this movie. It was predictable, I admit. But to see the beautiful views of Taos and surrounding areas I would watch it again. I liked the way that green chili was the most important ingredient too. Very New Mexican. ... from a long time resident.

Like each Hallmark romance, the word "nice" is the first definion in mind of viewer. Maybe, more for food, mother, daughter of the feminine main character. So, all predictable. And, in different doses, seductive. The only problem - why Joel Flanagan seems so...stupid ? Sure, Santino Fontana gives a decent work but the traits of his character are too...naive. Dania Ramirez is just inspired option for the role of Javiera. But, no doubts, the clues are Makenzie Moss and Maria Conchita Alonso.

I don't always do this but after watching this movie I had to look up the script writer. It turns out she has no experience and it shows. The whole movie contains many examples of awkward or disingenuous dialog, which serves to break the smooth flow of the movie.

Nonetheless my wife and I enjoyed the movie, we were mostly entertained for a Saturday evening at home after dinner, via Amazon streaming movies. The actors are for the most part very effective in their roles.

This is not a Hallmark movie but it follows that basic pattern. An attractive single man happens upon an attractive single woman, they experience slight attraction, then great friction, all to be resolved by one heroic act or another by the man.

It is set and filmed in New Mexico, a fast food chain with a Mexican food theme needs new ideas. The handsome brother of the CEO sister is dispatched to search out some of the best in the Southwest, for new ideas. He gets stranded in a small town and meets a Mexican lady with the best food around.

It is for the most part a very inconsequential movie but is enjoyable if you are in the right mood. I enjoy Mexican food, and I also enjoy cooking it, so it was easy for me to "get into" the themes here.