Amour, délice et petits plats

Okay, so after five minutes you know how this movie is going to end. The cliches pile on one after the other. Dumb dialog is probably more common than it should be. And some of the acting is pretty weak. But none of that matters !! This is a variation of the boy-meets-girl flick that we've all seen a thousand times but can't help enjoying anyway. It even has a great song in it. And so what if the father's accent doesn't match the son's ? When this pops up on cable some late night, and you sit down to watch, you won't regret it.

Felix Adlon, the son of Percy and Eleonor Adlon, has learned his craft right at home, or so it seems. Mr. Adlon is a new voice in the American cinema and one wishes him a good and long career. With "Eat Your Heart Out", his screen directorial debut, he shows he has the ability to capture what's going on around him. The result is a movie that is charming and light. The screen play is by the director and Laura Slakey.

The situation is a variation on the "Friends" theme, or so it seems. We are shown three friends sharing a loft in L.A. to make ends meet. Daniel, a cook instructor, Peter, a butcher, and Samantha, an artist, seem to have no conflicts in their living arrangement. It appears that Sam has a crush on Daniel.

This arrangement is complicated when Daniel is picked for a television cooking show. When Daniel becomes a minor celebrity, he goes away and seem to forget his friends. He only realizes what he lost when Sam calls him to go to see his dying father, who has quarreled with the young man. After the old man dies, he comes to the realization that Sam loved him and was a loyal friend.

Mr. Adlon assembled a good looking young cast who do good work under his guidance. Christian Oliver, Pamela Segall, John Craig, play the original friends in the loft. Laura San Giacomo is seen as the ambitious agent that wants the young cook for herself. Linda Hunt is the television executive that makes things happen for young Daniel.

The film will delight anyone looking for a relaxed time thanks to Mr. Adlon.

EAT YOUR HEART OUT manages to do what few movies in this summer's theater spectrum are able to do - entertain with a well cast, tautly directed, romantic yet clever bit of welcome fluff. Though this film dates back to 1999 it stands up well in comparison to other films in this genre. It is a classy little act! Daniel Haus (the very handsome German actor Christian Oliver) is a gifted chef whose dream is to write a cookbook. Out of monetary necessity he shares a loft with artist Samantha (Pamela Segall) and ropy friend Peter (John Craig) who has many issues with relationships. When good fortune befalls Daniel in the guise of a TV Cooking/Lovelorn show run by Kathryn (the vastly under-used Linda Hunt) and agent Jaqueline (a miscast Laura San Giacomo from 'Pretty Woman' fame), his life and perception of his friends changes. He is dressed, groomed, and bedded by Jaqueline to the point that his friends barely recognize him. Daniel's ongoing family problems also disrupt his life until finally his father's illness alters his outlook and he rearranges his priorities. How that is accomplished and the results these surprises have on all involved form the end of the story.

The nice thing about EAT YOUR HEART OUT is that it never takes itself seriously: there are no ominous overtones to the everyday problems many of us face, just realistic resolutions. The entire cast is quite good with especial attention to Pamela Segall and Christian Oliver. The direction by Felix O. Adlon ("Salmonberries') is sensitive and well paced and a nod goes to the fine editing of Dan Lebental. Definitely worth viewing for a warm summer evening's pleasant entertainment. Grady Harp, June 05

The plot is pretty thin, but a cute cast makes this film worth watching. It's about a talented young cook who becomes a TV cooking idol. The action is slow in this standard rags-to-riches and finding one's self plot, but it is an amusing, sweet story.

What can happen in a teen flick where there are roommates from both genders? Romance, of course! Well, don't bother about the ending because you know it even before you start the movie. However, it's still worth watching because there are some sweet moments inside. The plot is very simple: the guy became famous and neglected the girl, things happened one after another, they got back together, blah, blah, blah. Still it's good to watch this one together with your special someone.