By Teri Bayus ~
Attention foodies: “Burnt” is the movie for you and for people who work in the food industry. But if you are not arguing about what three kinds of cheeses makes a perfect grilled cheese sandwich with the person you are going to see this with, or don’t agonize over your olive oil choices and dream of foie gras, skip it like we foodies skip the drive thru at Jack in the Box.
Burnt is elegant and classy, sophisticated, yet centered around Bradley Cooper’s largely unlikeable character seeking redemption and forgiveness from those he burned in the past, but who may not deserve it.
The plot: Adam Jones (Cooper) is a chef who destroyed his career with drugs and diva behavior.
Jones has completed his own punishment for falling under the influence to drugs and alcohol, while trying to run a high-class restaurant in Paris, France.
After he cleans up, he flies out to London to find old friends, his former sous chef in France, Michel (played by Omar Sy), and Tony, a wealthy son of a hotel owner who is also a professional maître d’ (played by Daniel Brühl). These people all know that Adam has the potential to be the best, but also know that he has erratic mood swings and a stubborn ego.
Burnt is crisply directed and has marvelous cinematography. It’s set in the interesting world of ultra fine dining. Ironically though, this movie is a classic case of great ingredients being ruined by chemistry. As gorgeous as Cooper and Sienna Miller are, I found their essences didn’t meld.
It is not as good as “Chef.” In watching Chef, I was completely engrossed in a movie about food that also had a story behind it. The difference between Chef and Burnt is that Burnt deals with the world of petite dishes, and psychotic chefs, not as much about the food.
Throughout the film, characters come and go, most of which have next to no development.
However, the acting is excellent. For instance, I struggled to even tell who Miller was until about halfway through the film, she totally transformed. Cooper as per usual was a reliable main cast member, with those eyes that desperately pierce my soul.
In my humble opinion, movies (foodie movies in particular) are a perfect balance of show, tell and smell. They should satisfy a little part of you, yet leave you hungry and yearning for more.
They should captivate the eye, the ear and the imagination. I craved the food, I longed for the romance shared by the couple, and I felt excited about the triumph. It was set in London and that city calls to me. This movie experience was like a perfect seven course meal with the man of your dreams.
Brunt is a tasty treat for those in the mood for an entertaining movie and an endless stream of pretty things to look at, but don’t go hungry.
Teri Bayus can be reached at: [email protected] or follow her writing and ramblings at: www.teribayus.com. Bayus also hosts Taste Buds, a moving picture rendition of her reviews shown on Charter Ch. 10. Dinner and a Movie is a regular feature of Tolosa Press.
