Chef
The best feel-good movie in years. Not much to say about such a simple film but I could not recommend it more.
Jon Favreau is receiving quite a bit of well-deserved acclaim for his handling of the Mandalorian. Before that, he was known for directing Iron Man and his frequent comedic collaboration with Vince Vaughn. (I will still know him from Rudy). Lost in the mix is his writing, directing, and acting gem in the form of Chef—a 2014 comedy-drama about a prominent LA chef who rediscovers his family and passion. It is a very underrated movie that just makes you smile and wish for two more hours of run time.
Carl was once a maverick chef who caught the eye of critics and crowds. But now as head chef in one of LA’s most popular restaurants, he clashes with his manager that won’t let him experiment, and a food critic claiming he has lost his touch. Carl also struggles to connect with his young son Percy since the divorce from Inez. When Carl walks away from his job, he risks everything by opening a food truck that specializes in Cuban cuisine. This sparks a road trip from Miami to LA, working the truck with his son and faithful coworker Marin.
The beginning is slow in introducing characters. It takes a little too long on the Twitter feud Carl has with the critic. But once the family reconnects in Miami and buys the truck, the film really settles into its form. The cast is spectacular. So many surprising cameos. Sofia Vergara, Robert Downey JR, Dustin Hoffman, John Leguizamo, Scarlet Johansson—all of the people Favreau worked with and then brought to his independent project. The cooking scenes are fun and fast-paced. Next to Spanglish—another underrated movie—it has the most appetizing scenes.
The road trip and the resulting bond formed between father, son, and family is so sweet. I was genuinely bummed when they get back to LA because I could watch another few hours of Favreau and Leguizamo’s chemistry. For a two-hour runtime, I wish it would have been a faster start but the character development does help.
