REVIEW: JULIE & JULIA DVD

This is the movie which inspired me to blog and although I don't intend to review many DVDs here, I will make an exception for this one. Julie & Julia, directed by Nora Ephron, is something special. Based on the novel Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, this film intertwines the real life stories of celebrity chef Julia Child and blogger-turned-author Julie Powell.

We are introduced to Child (Meryl Streep) who relocates to Paris with her husband Paul Child (Stanley Tucci). Having worked a government job in America previously, Child has no other real passion in life other than eating. She decides to take cooking lessons at one of the finest culinary institutes in Paris, starting off on shaky ground. Determined not to be a "frivolous housewife looking to kill time", Child soon proves that with determination and some elbow grease, she too can chop an onion and debone a duck with the best of them. One thing leads to another and she finds herself developing the first ever English language French cookbook. But of course, Child is not met with her share of rejection and opposition along the way.

Simultaneously, we learn the story of Powell (Amy Adams) who worked at a crisis-counselling Call Centre after 9/11. Miserable and uninspired, she finds passion and inspiration in Child's famed The Art of French Cooking. Hungry for a challenge, she makes it her goal to prepare each and every one of the 524 recipes from that cookbook within one year. To document the journey, she launches a blog where her readers lend their encouragement as she sets out to reach her ultimate goal, successfully deboning a duck. In the process of emulating her idol, Powell encounters some roadblocks in mastering Child's recipes. The unwavering dedication she places on her culinary craft leads to mounting tension between her and amazingly supportive husband Eric (Chris Messina). Powell's blog becomes wildly successful, generating much media interest. We learn that even she manages to the catch the attention of her beloved idol in the process of becoming a successful author.


Above all of this, the legendary Streep puts on an Oscar-worthy performance here. I forget completely that I am watching Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia. She fully embodies what it means to be Julia Child - a woman unfraid of making mistakes; a woman who truly engages in her craft with such dedication that it doesn't even seem like she is working. Adams also is wonderful as Powell - a real person who like the rest of us, gets frustrated on her bad days, sometimes taking the wonderful things around her for granted. Despite being a horrible Bitch for much of the film, we still root for her. Tucci, who won my heart in The Devil Wears Prada, is equally endearing here again and let's not forget the wonderful Jane Lynch (of Glee fame), who just never gets enough screen time in this film as Child's younger sister, Dorothy. Ephron truly understands both Julia Child and Julie Powell and I walked away feeling that they are both my good friends whom I could call-up and get advice from.

Anyone who has ever been at a loss for direction in their life needs to see Julie & Julia. Sometimes I look back on my life and think at the many directions I could have gone. If I worked harder at my day job, perhaps I could have been a Director by now. If I worked that much harder, I could have been a more successful musician. If I went to every audition my agent sent me on, I would have been a successful actor today. And maybe if I continued with my studies, I could have been a Psychologist. Blogging however, gives me a sense of contentment. I feel at home doing it and I feel as though I have nothing to prove to the world, other than to share the things I love most with all of you. Powell's story really struck a chord with me.

Also included on this DVD is a Featurette about Ephron's detailed background work in creating the script for this film. We learn about Streep's approach to playing Child in that she was not so much about portraying her, but rather she was portraying Powell's ideology of her. As well, we learn about how Adams truly identified with Powell's struggle to find her true passion as she too was approaching her '30s and unsure what she wanted to do with her life before becoming the successful actress she is now. Fascinating.

Columbia Pictures' Julie & Julia is now available on DVD and your life will not be complete without at least seeing it. Grade: A+