The School Newspaper of Cherry Hill High School East

Eastside

The School Newspaper of Cherry Hill High School East

Eastside

The School Newspaper of Cherry Hill High School East

Eastside

Julie & Julia Review

The movie Julie & Julia directed by Nora Ephron premiered this past Sunday. Amy Adams and Meryl Streep play the title characters, Julie Powell and Julia Child, through a series of back-and-forth flashbacks into th

Julia and Julie prepare their respective dishes.
Julia and Julie prepare their respective dishes.

eir lives; the two both connecting in their passion for food. Although it may not appeal to a typical teenage audience due to its absence of in-your-face action, this artsy flick is definitely worth seeing.

 

Amy Adams plays Julie Powell, an everyday cubicle worker in New York. Tired of her hum-drum life and half-baked accomplishments (including a half-written novel), Julie decides to “cook her way” through Julia Child’s cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking within 365 days, and then create a blog about it. At first glance, the goal seems simple. However, the kitchen heats up as Julie discovers that her time-consuming project is not as easy as chocolate cream pie. It is very refreshing to see Amy Adams’ breadth of acting as she portrays this stressed, down-to-earth woman, rather than a perky princess such as in films like Enchanted (2007) and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008). 

Story continues below advertisement

Meryl Streep provides another great performance as the legendary chef Julia Child. Anyone would have to do a double take as Streep impersonates Child perfectly, down from Child’s trademark chuckle to her easygoing yet firm nature.

The locations of the set are beautifully realistic in accordance to Child’s days before her life as a TV host. Clever shots include the simple pleasures of Paris, such as open street markets and ivy-strewn walls. A lot of the charm in the film comes from eyeing the detail of all the sets and costumes in this unique back-to-back biographical film.

The only disappointment of the entire film resides in the length. Ephron certainly could have sped up the pace, which seemed a little dragged out until the very end. However, Julie & Julia, like any delicious home-cooked meal, deserves to be savored, down to the very last bite.

Leave a Comment

Comments (0)

All Eastside Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *