Delicieux - L'amore è servito

After chef Manceron is sacked by his fussy aristocratic boss, a woman appears out of nowhere and asks him to let her be an apprentice chef. He is unwilling as he thinks that chefs should all be males. She hands him some money for her tuition fees and finally pursuades him to teach her. He teaches her how to identify plants suitable for eating, and how to cook animals. She becomes an excellent cook, and we see some of the delicious looking food that she produces. We learn about the poverty of the local peasants and how many are starving. The arrogance and condescending attitude of the Duc de Chamfort and his fellow aristocrats give us a taste of the unfair treatment given to the poorer people which eventually led to the French Revolution.

I went in expecting a somewhat schmaltzy, feel-good movie and that's what I got. But it was a beautifully done and sets itself apart from many other movies that follow the same formula with beautiful direction an underlying message of being true to a passion. It was exactly what I needed after a string of downers.

There are some tropes and cliches, any seasoned moviegoer will be able to predict the plot as it unfolds. I was unfamiliar with the cast; everybody played their parts well, but nobody particularly stood out to me. The production design was outstanding, it was a simple movie about simple people so less was more. Sometimes a simple, direct approach is the best route.

Cinematography is the strongest aspect of this film. Some scenes look like paintings by Dutch Golden Age or Flemish Baroque artists. I had to pause several times to admire the tables tastefully laid with food. However, the main focus of the plot is not on food, like most of the reviewers seem to think. It shows the viewer why revolutions happen. Up until the rather stupid, highly unrealistic Hollywood-style happy ending. I guess the ending is the reason the film is listed as a comedy? Which it is not.

From the first scene I was delighted by the food and characters. While the movie moves forward you get more and more attached. It's a great, creative story. Contains love, passion and a great narrative.

Delightful, pure, with great emotional payoff. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A take on aristocracy with French characteristics. Plus points for helping me improve my French listening.