The Taste of Things

Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel shine in their respective roles as a beautiful cook and her long admiring gourmet lover. The film is a great celebration of food with the first 20 minutes or so being a real feast for the eyes as a sumptuous meal is prepared in intricate detail as we salivate in our seats. This is very skilfully done as with minimal dialogue and accomplished direction we get a deft introduction to the characters involved as they create the mouthwatering dishes. There's a lovely tone to this film which celebrates in equal measure the love between the two lead characters and their shared passion for wonderful food and the lighting and cinematography is exquisite. The sequence where Dodin cooks for Eugiene is a delight as his two great passions come together, not least in the dessert. It was a pleasure to watch this life affirming film though I'd recommend you either eat immediately before it or have food ready immediately after as it will engage your tastebuds. Finally there is a winning performance from Bonnie Chagneau Ravoire as Pauline that is impressive for such a young actress.

During a time where food is rarely explored due to the demand for convenience and lack of energy that we're willing to provide, "The Taste of Things" invites audiences to transcend into a space that most of us have never known. Not only a space of pure romance in 1889, but one that is tied together with an equal adoration for the artistic and emotional nature of food, and the endless beauty that stems from the smallest details. Whether it's because Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel were married for 5 years in real life or simply because they're incredible actors, the chemistry and understanding for one another are potently sincere and encourage viewers to seek nothing less than what they're experiencing. Discover passion, meticulous care embedded under a foundation of years-long expertise, and a chase toward love that never ends even when most relationships do. The framework of a slow rotating camera, necessary silence, patient observation, and organic expression creates a tone that you can nearly taste. A delightful masterpiece by Anh Hung and one that I'm craving to see again.

This movie is about as engaging as a root canal. Two hours and fifteen minutes of watching an excessive display of food preparation and overindulgence, i.e. Gluttony, masquerading under the guise of haute cuisine. But it's French, so it gets a pass as they are the supposed standard bearers of all things cultural. I went to this movie with my wife based on the stellar reviews and we wanted to like it. We both lived and worked in Europe in our younger years and have an appreciation for authentic European culture. I am giving it a 2 rather than a 1, because the acting was good-what there was of it- and it did manage to capture something of the French character as well as the spirit of the times in which it took place. At the risk of being seen as Philistines, we must call the glowing reviews of this movie as they are: the new clothes of the emperor. Unless you are training to be a chef, or you have a need to flaunt your taste in high culture to your peers, it might be prudent to bypass this offering or, at the very least, wait for the DVD release. Be forewarned: This is two hours and fifteen minutes of your life that you will never get back.

Benoit Magimel and Juliette Binoche are masterful, as usual, as they subtlety unveil a discreet but moving love story linked to their common passion for cooking and the art of French gastronomy. Accompanied by two stunning young actresses (Galatea Bellugi and Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire) and excellent actors such as Emmanuel Salinger, nonetheless this film disappoints. Although I particularly enjoyed the (too?) long scene of the multi-course meal preparation, where the camera follows everyone's movements and gives us the impression of being with them in the kitchen, each sequence drags on and bores. It's a pity to have sacrificed the development of this atypical couple's story in favor of scenes of repeated culinary orgies that are unappetizing to watch.

Let's start by the positive things: acting, photography, settings, detail. What could go wrong with so many tasteful ingredients? That the measures were wrong. Instead of focusing on the promising and mysterious relationship unfolding between the main protagonists, for most of the runtime we are forced to gorge on an endless parade of French culinary glories (unfortunately, only visually, which is what makes it frustrating). It is not that I did not like the movie, it is more like I felt that there was no "movie", no drama. I consider myself a fan of European slow paced cinema, but only when a drama is actually unfolding. Maybe it's just that I missed something. Would not recommend unless you are a studying French high cuisine from the XIX century, in that case, go ahead, it is the perfect documentary.

Greetings again from the darkness. I do not cook and have never had an interest in learning to. Still, I do understand how some are drawn to it as an art form ... creating new dishes and new flavors, while generating such pleasurable sensations across the palettes of others. It's a passion like many professions (or hobbies), and it's one that is best shared with others. This is the first film from writer-director Anh Hung Tron since 2016, and he has adapted the popular novel, "The Passionate Epicure" by Marcel Rouff. An extended opening scene (30 plus minutes) features a camera weaving in and around the activities in a kitchen where a gourmet meal is being prepared. Chit-chat does not occur. These people know their work and go about preparing multiple dishes precisely, meticulously, and expertly. Specific timing is the only thing requiring spoken language. Despite this, we learn much about these folks. Juliette Binoche (Oscar winner, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, 1996) portrays Eugenie, the cook to gourmet chef Dodin, played by Benoit Magimel. Dodin periodically takes leave to mingle with guests, while Eugenie finds pure joy in her task at hand. Two assistants Violette (Galatea Bellugi) and Pauline (Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire) work efficiently and quickly. Pauline is young and relatively new to the kitchen, yet she possesses a preternatural taste palette and flavor instincts, while Violette is a long-trusted staffer. As viewers, we are in awe of the precision and coordinated efforts that go into preparing world class dishes. As the film progresses, we learn Dodin has proposed marriage to Eugenie many times over the years. She has always turned him down, choosing instead their kitchen partnership as well as occasional evening soirees in her room (when the door is unlocked). This arrangement works for her and has made him famous in the culinary world. Love and respect exists between the two, and he worries about her too-frequent fainting spells and light-hearted moments. Their conversation one evening after work tells us all we (and they) need to know. As for their backstory, given Eugenie's mentorship of Pauline, we can't help but wonder if maybe Dodin had once recognized such rare talent in Eugenie some twenty years past. This is a film, and these are performances, meant to be savored every bit as much as the dishes we see prepared and the garden Eugenie tends. It's a delicate world that requires precise movements and commitment ... just as any relationship. We can all strive to find the joy and satisfaction on display here, despite knowing that these types of connections will at some point lead to loss. In theaters on February 14, 2024.

Why dont they make movies like this anymore? The beauty of the food, people and surroundings take you away on a sensory trip. I also miss this idealized depiction of love. Everything is so delikate and Beautiful. I recommend you to what this if you respect and appreciate the art of food preparations and the beauty of a life Long romance. The asthetic is so pleasing, everthing from birds chirping in an early morning vegetable garden, the Sound of the food simmering, all the fine pressed linen clothing, the coiffed hair, the reflection of warm sunlight on the Walls and copper pots, the wind in the flowers on the forest floor. Exquisite!

Good movie!

Good movie!