I have a lot of opinions about movies. Film is one of my favorite expressions of art and preferred storytelling platforms. I can totally geek out over film analysis and discussion, so I am excited to start posting my opinions and ideas on my favorite films from time to time.
*Spoilers ahead
As soon as I saw the trailer for Chef I knew I would love it. Most movies that revolve around food get a high approval rating from me. But I was pleasantly surprised when I watched this movie and realized that while the main motifs center around cooking and food, the character and relationship development is so rich.
Jon Favreau has always been a favorite of mine. The holiday classic, Elf, sealed the deal for me, but he has also directed and starred in a number of other films that have gained him notoriety in recent years (the Iron Man trilogy being among them). While he tends towards the flashy, audience-pleaser type genre, there has always been a way about him that hints at greater depth and a creative eye. I've come to appreciate this about him and my assumptions were confirmed in this movie which he wrote, directed, and starred in.
Besides the fact that I was drooling during most of the movie because of the artistically stunning creation and display of food, I also enjoyed the parallels between the food Carl prepared and the type of character he developed into.
The story opens with this tension apparent in Carl's relationship with cooking and his desire to be an extraordinary chef and more directly his relationship with his boss, Riva. Dustin Hoffman, The high-end Southern California restaurant owner, was brilliantly cast and acts as a roadblock to Carl being the chef he wants to be. Hoffman characterizes a leader who calls the shots, but leaves no room for creative freedom or risk. When Carl is fired for refusing to play it safe by cooking his most popular dishes on the night a famous food blogger and reviewer visits the restaurant, his humbling journey of self-discovery and self-sacrifice begins.
After a dramatic turn of events in the form of an embarrassing viral video leads him to travel to Miami with his son and ex-wife played by Sofia Vergara (another favorite of mine), he is provided an opportunity to put his creative culinary vision on display by running a food truck. Meanwhile we are being set up for a significant shift in his relationship with his ten year old son, Percy. The constant disappointment that his son experiences at the beginning of the story because of Carl's spotty commitment to spend time with him, begins to transform into a deeper appreciation for his dad and for his dad's passion: cooking.
The mold-ridden, smelly food truck provided by Carl's ex-wife's ex-husband, hilariously played by Robert Downy Jr., is given a major scrub down and there is a clear comparison between Carl's life which has become dilapidated and in need of a major overhaul and the truck. The purging process involves a cross country road trip with Percy and Carl's former sous chef and friend, Martin. The story takes on some awesome healing and redemptive themes and one aspect that I really liked: simplicity.
Carl goes from preparing elaborate dishes in a polished environment, to assembling Cuban sandwiches in a truck. The simple act of recreating his favorite street food, which fueled his passion for cooking and food in the first place, helped him to realize that creating good food is really about the community it creates and the creativity that it inspires.
I thought Favreau did a great job making the story relevant and timely. While his relationship with his son goes deeper on the long road trip during which they make stops in several major cities to sell their food to the masses, Percy takes on the role of line chef and quasi social media marketer, documenting their trip and tweeting their adventures along the way. Long lines of hungry people are waiting for them at each location as Percy tips them off to their next stop. This creative and modern twist to the story reinforces Carl's realization that his son is not just a great addition to their team, but valuable as a visionary himself, playing to Carl's weaknesses and helping the food truck become the success that it is.
Chef is a feel good movie but part of what makes it such a great story is that it is not only a crowd pleaser, but also an honest portrayal of what it looks like to pursue your passion and experience relational restoration in the process. Maybe the real storytelling feat in this movie is Favreau's ability to communicate to the audience that when his passion for family matches his passion for food, he is able to enjoy life in a way that is unmatched.
I'm also a bit partial to this movie because of the strong Latin ties and cultural nods. The music, general loudness, and Spanish sprinkled throughout made me want to call my abuela and invite her over for a cooking party.
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