Review: Julie & Julia

Synopsis: Julie Powell (Amy Adams) has a depressing job, friends who are more successful than she, and feels her purpose in life has been lost.  After a conversation with her husband, Julie decides to write a blog detailing her experience cooking her way through Julie Child’s famous cookbook, “The Art of Mastering French Cooking.”  Julie’s story is intertwined with Julia Child’s (Meryl Streep) life living in Paris (from “My Life in France”).  When Julie finally receives the literary acclaim she has always wanted, will one person’s opinion bring it all to an end and will Julia finally feel like herself again?

My Thoughts:  Initially, I didn’t want to see Julie & Julia.  I’ll be honest – I’m not a fan of Julia Child.  But this movie is funny, tender, and inspiring.  Stanley Tucci is amazing as Paul Child – he steals every scene he is in.  Now, this is completely off-topic, but I feel it needs to be said:  Tucci is an outstanding character actor who never seems to get noticed for his on-the-mark portrayal of every character he plays.  I sincerely hope his work in this film gets acknowledged.  Amy Adams is adorable and narcissistic at the same time – an Everywoman in today’s generation of doubt.  Meryl Streep is…well, Meryl Streep.  That women does not know how to give only 98% in a film.  She completely commits to playing Julia Child, and actually acts as the comic relief to an extent.  Definitely a “chick flick”, but worth every penny.

For the Single Girl:  Well, SGs, this is definitely a different movie. 

• I would say this film is in the same vein as “Under the Tuscan Sun”.  This film is about finding yourself when you feel completely lost and don’t know where to go next.  Julie Powell’s story is inspiring – it makes you want to go out and find something that completely defines you…or at least something that makes you feel good.
• The relationships in this film are very genuine and emotionally binding.  Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep do a wonderful (and convincing) job showcasing the Child’s marriage as loving, funny, and sweet – the type of relationship I think everyone wants to be in.
• SGs, if you love food, this is a good movie to see.  The food in the film becomes the third revolving character (which I’m sure it was meant to).  However, sometimes the food outshone the actors (not necessarily something it was meant to do).  The film definitely makes you want to go home and starting cooking, but not in a “women should only be in the kitchen” way – more like a “cooking is going to make me feel empowered” way.

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