Shekvarebuli kulinaris ataserti retsepti

A French chef (a great performance by Pierre Richard) goes to Georgia at the turn of the 20th century to look for new tastes. He meets a woman, they fall in love, he opens a restaurant, and then the Russian Revolution spills into the country. This story is told in flashback as a modern-day art dealer preparing a Pirosmani exhibition reads about his family's past. A CHEF IN LOVE is the only Georgian film ever nominated for an Oscar, and it's easy to see why. It has sumptuous photography (by one of the best Georgian cinematographers, Giorgi Beridze) and the sort of historical love story they seem to go to pieces over, yet it also plays everything very safely and forces some notion of "exoticism" on itself while sticking to a plot that feels right at home in the Hollywood cookie factory. I liked it more than the other Djordjadze film I've seen, 27 MISSING KISSES, but I found something curiously hollow about the presentation. I also thought the flashback structure was pretty useless, except to introduce a dramatic third-act revelation that anyone who has ever seen a movie will be able to predict within the first five minutes of the film. Still, with so much great footage of Georgia and all the wonderful music and food (this movie made me extremely hungry) and the addition of Richard's great work, I find it difficult to dislike, and I don't think it should be avoided, especially when it's probably easier to find in the USA than any other Georgian film.

This film lacked something I couldn't put my finger on at first: charisma on the part of the leading actress. This inevitably translated to lack of chemistry when she shared the screen with her leading man. Even the romantic scenes came across as being merely the actors at play. It could very well have been the director who miscalculated what he needed from the actors. I just don't know.

But could it have been the screenplay? Just exactly who was the chef in love with? He seemed more enamored of his culinary skills and restaurant, and ultimately of himself and his youthful exploits, than of anybody or anything else. He never convinced me he was in love with the princess.

I was disappointed in this movie. But, don't forget it was nominated for an Oscar, so judge for yourself.

This film is not a great film, but one can enjoy these two hours watching it. Its texture is colourful, its taste is marvelous, its rewind is cute. The story is simple but full of life scent, of passion for life. Nice, uncompromised meals fill the frames and they speak of a nice, uncompromised living. The characters do not seem to be real but in their simplicity they persuade us that simple down to earth values are the sence of life. Bon appetit!

What an odd and absolutely delightful movie. An opera singer who also is a gourmand sets up shop in Russia, just in time for the revolution. Shot on what appear to be actual locations, A CHEF IN LOVE features an aging Lothario with Woody Allen hair falling head over heels for a Russian princess and returning with her to her homeland. He quickly runs afoul of the insurgents but resists his paramour's efforts to leave Russia and set up shop elsewhere. The movie is full of great comic moments and some truly sad ones. And if you love food, you will love this movie. Wait until you see the feasts this guy dreams up! The actress playing the Russian princess is particularly interesting to watch, as she does everything she can to keep her goofy lover from landing in front of a firing squad.

A Frenchman in Georgia. This opens up so many possibilities, chances for humor, joy, deep and meaningful emotional engagement. Instead, the film fails to deliver any of the above. The acting of Pierre Richard is OK but so stereotypically French it makes it look like a grotesque (same goes for pretty much all other parts). The other actors are just meh. My biggest problem with this movie is its use of predictable cliches and no attempt to be even remote convincing. There are no nuances, no space for the viewer to explore. If this movie was food it would have been a McDonald's hamburger.