Stanley Tucci & Meryl Streep as Paul & Julia Child
Julie & Julia opened on August 7th and my sweetheart and I went to see it. We went at 1pm which is a great time to see a movie. No crowds, costs less and I felt really young in the audience. Before we went Scott had read the reviews of the movie which were not totally flattering. I don’t like to read reviews so I can make up my own mind. Actually I’m like that about most things but that’s a whole other post.
We loved it! I would disagree with those who may not have liked the way the movie switches back and forth from Julie Powell’s life and Julia Child’s life. They are totally missing the point and the message.
For those who have not heard, Julie Powell decided to cook her way through Julia Child’s cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She would cook all 524 recipes in one year and blog about it along the way, in 2002. This was early on in the blogging world and a brilliant way to get herself noticed as a writer. Well it worked and she was offered a book deal and then her book was made into a movie. From a food blogger’s perspective like mine, that is very cool.
Julia Child in her kitchen
Now I’ve only just begun to read the book on my Iphone so I don’t know how the book compares to the movie but I loved how we got to see a glimpse into the early life of Julia Child in the movie. It took her and her co-writers 8 years to complete her cookbook. When published it was so different to the American cookbook scene that it took them a few rejections from publishers before someone agreed to publish it. The world of food has never been the same, especially in the U.S.
Meryl Streep as Julia Child
I really enjoyed the relationship shown on screen between Julia and Paul. They seemed like each other’s best friend and confidant. He supported her endeavors and asked her important questions like, what do you really love. Julia really loved to eat which led to her attending Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Paris. I could watch an entire movie with just Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep. They are amazing actors and draw you so completely into their characters that you totally forget a few years ago they were together in The Devil Wears Prada.
Amy Adams is adorable in anything she does. She did a great job of portraying an over emotional writer living a life she would like to change. They managed to cut her hair and dress her in unflattering clothing so you would not be thinking of Giselle from Enchanted. She drew you into her character with all of her flaws.
Julia Child
I really enjoyed this movie and would recommend anyone see it. But if you ever watched Julia Child, cooked from one of her recipes, love food and love to cook then you should see this movie. I hope this movie will inspire people to get back into the kitchen and cook real food from real ingredients just the way Julia Child inspired cooks for many years and still does today.
I can't wait to see it! Meryl Streep and Amy Adams are both brilliant to begin with. Now, they are combined with cooking?! Even better!
Katrina- Did you get to see the movie yet? What were your favorite parts? I love the seen when Paul comes home and Julia is practicing cutting onions. And the letter on the porch scene made me cry.
I can’t wait to see it! Meryl Streep and Amy Adams are both brilliant to begin with. Now, they are combined with cooking?! Even better!
Katrina- Did you get to see the movie yet? What were your favorite parts? I love the seen when Paul comes home and Julia is practicing cutting onions. And the letter on the porch scene made me cry.
My friend Laura and I purposefully read the book from Julie Powell first, then went to see the movie. We really liked the book and truly loved Julia and Paul in the movie. The book was wonderful in its own way – I thought the writing was creative and interesting and Julie is obviously very, very talented. I was, however, left hoping that she would learn *more*. She learned a lot but she could have learned so much more from the experience. Meryl Streep was amazing in the movie. I am glad that the movie focused so much on her and Paul and we could have seen an entire movie about them. The overall movie was great because of the back and forth to modern day issues that were different yet the same as the 40s. I WISH THERE HAD BEEN MORE FOOD AND COOKING DISCUSSED! My foodie friends missed Julie's trials and tribulations that were in the book and nothing was shown about Julia's cooking shows. Perhaps this should have been a longer movie……good news – we went to opening night in Midtown Atlanta and the audience (sold out) clapped at the end.
Karen- I completely agree with hoping Julie had learned more and that is a great way to state that. I still have to finish Julie's book but I also picked up Julia Child's book, My Life In Paris. Can't wait to read it. I have about 10 books waiting on me to read. I need to either read faster or work less. Hmmm.
My friend Laura and I purposefully read the book from Julie Powell first, then went to see the movie. We really liked the book and truly loved Julia and Paul in the movie. The book was wonderful in its own way – I thought the writing was creative and interesting and Julie is obviously very, very talented. I was, however, left hoping that she would learn *more*. She learned a lot but she could have learned so much more from the experience. Meryl Streep was amazing in the movie. I am glad that the movie focused so much on her and Paul and we could have seen an entire movie about them. The overall movie was great because of the back and forth to modern day issues that were different yet the same as the 40s. I WISH THERE HAD BEEN MORE FOOD AND COOKING DISCUSSED! My foodie friends missed Julie’s trials and tribulations that were in the book and nothing was shown about Julia’s cooking shows. Perhaps this should have been a longer movie……good news – we went to opening night in Midtown Atlanta and the audience (sold out) clapped at the end.
Karen- I completely agree with hoping Julie had learned more and that is a great way to state that. I still have to finish Julie’s book but I also picked up Julia Child’s book, My Life In Paris. Can’t wait to read it. I have about 10 books waiting on me to read. I need to either read faster or work less. Hmmm.
I just saw it yesterday and really liked it. The acting was wonderful, and as food bloggers ourselves, how could we not enjoy the topic? Like you, I particularly enjoyed Julia and Paul's relationship.
Linda- I really want to see it again. I'll have to grab my gal friends who have not seen it and see if they want to go. Any excuse to talk about food I can get!
I just saw it yesterday and really liked it. The acting was wonderful, and as food bloggers ourselves, how could we not enjoy the topic? Like you, I particularly enjoyed Julia and Paul’s relationship.
Linda- I really want to see it again. I’ll have to grab my gal friends who have not seen it and see if they want to go. Any excuse to talk about food I can get!
Great review and post, Diane! I haven't seen the movie or read the book yet, but I just saw Julia's kitchen in the Smithsonian last week. Does that count? It was just like I hoped it would be … well equipped with tons of knives and pots and organized, but yet warm and friendly. It's a kitchen I would have loved to have visited in while she cooked.
I remember when that food blog came out and there was a write-up on it. I cut out the article and mailed it to a dear friend who loves all things Julia. Can't wait to see the movie. Sounds like something good to add to my list while Mr. GFE is off scuba diving next week (not that I don't have enough on the list already LOL).
I agree with you on the afternoon being a wonderful time to see a movie and I don't like reading reviews either. Some of my favorite movies have gotten the worst reviews and vice versa.
Shirley
Shirley- I have to go see that kitchen. It's not that far from me. Maybe it can be one of my Wednesday night dates with my sweetie. He doesn't like to cook but he loves to eat. How cool would that have been, to be in her kitchen with her. However she would have thrown me out in a second. I don't eat butter!
Let me know when you see it what you think.
Great review and post, Diane! I haven’t seen the movie or read the book yet, but I just saw Julia’s kitchen in the Smithsonian last week. Does that count? It was just like I hoped it would be … well equipped with tons of knives and pots and organized, but yet warm and friendly. It’s a kitchen I would have loved to have visited in while she cooked.
I remember when that food blog came out and there was a write-up on it. I cut out the article and mailed it to a dear friend who loves all things Julia. Can’t wait to see the movie. Sounds like something good to add to my list while Mr. GFE is off scuba diving next week (not that I don’t have enough on the list already LOL).
I agree with you on the afternoon being a wonderful time to see a movie and I don’t like reading reviews either. Some of my favorite movies have gotten the worst reviews and vice versa.
Shirley
Shirley- I have to go see that kitchen. It’s not that far from me. Maybe it can be one of my Wednesday night dates with my sweetie. He doesn’t like to cook but he loves to eat. How cool would that have been, to be in her kitchen with her. However she would have thrown me out in a second. I don’t eat butter!
Let me know when you see it what you think.