Julie and Julia Movie Review

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Ben Franklin said that to be remembered you need to: “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

Julia Child fulfilled each side of Franklin’s comment. Her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking deserves the attention it has received through the years. It is an essential part of any food/cooking library maintained by those seriously interested in producing meals that are worth talking about after the chairs are pushed back from the table.

The movie Julie and Julia is more than simply a movie about an interesting character. It is about a woman whose passion for the ART of cooking was a major influence in upgrading the American national interest in cooking.

The movie is especially a must see for anyone who remembers those early days of Julia on TV. Her attractive personality combined with skilled technique in producing meals that were, till her book and TV show, beyond the understanding of most Americans in their kitchens.

Merl Streep as Julia does an outstanding job in depicting the humor and joy that was conveyed to her fans by Julia. The movie depicts the cooking as an important recipe ingredient of a life well spent.. It is a delightful movie that should be found attractive even to those who are not totally interested in food as a form of art.

In the movie the part of Julie as a homemaker who finds inspiration from Julia, is a real life character to whom many with less than Julia’s talent can relate. Julia’s lobster thermidor recipe as prepared by Julie in the movie revived personal memories. I remember well the challenge that this dish presented to my wife and me when we decided to prepare it for a dinner party early in our marriage. The tension that we felt in the midst of preparing this dish was a test of our capability of working together through a difficult task. Julia’s book was opened on our kitchen counter and step by step took us through the challenge of preparing for our guests. The dish and the evening was a success and when our guests left we toasted each other and Julia as our guide to that culinary victory

Julie and Julia is a movie that should be seen as more than a guide to cooking well. It is an example of dedication, discipline and a commitment to a goal by both Julie and Julia and the rewards that can come with those elements as a central part the effort.

See the movie and also check out the Buck Cooks 1st Post.

This post featured Julia Child’s Omelette and was more than just a recipe. It was a dedication to Julia who stimulated my life long interest in entertaining friends and family centered around a dining experience that demonstrated the value we place on those friendships.