It's a period-based love story inspired by gourmet French cooking on a large estate in France in the late 19th century. The estate owner, Dodin Bouffant (Benoît Magimel), appears to live a lonely, wealthy life distracted only by friends who also enjoy carefully prepared gourmet food. His cook for the past 20 years has been Eugenie (Juliette Binoche), who lives in the third-floor servants' quarters but seems OK with periodic nighttime visits from Dodin, who wants to marry her. Eugenie's assistant is Violette (Galatea Bellugi), whom Dodin dismisses as unable to boil water. However, Violette's young niece, Pauline (Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire), shows a natural aptitude for discerning flavors and seasonings.
The film follows the preparation of several elaborate meals along with Dodin's ongoing efforts to get Eugenie to marry him. We also learn of Eugenie's health issues and their impact on Dodin and their relationship.
What to say about this movie? If you're a foodie, you may enjoy the lingering (and I mean lingering) preparation of gourmet food items. I'm not a foodie; where are my meat and potatoes? Dodin's gourmet companions are colorless, leaving a reasonably meager plot to Magimel and Binoche. By the end, I still didn't understand why Eugenie resisted Dodin's marriage proposal so long before eventually succumbing. Or did she finally resist another way? The ending leaves open possibilities.
I don't see this film doing well at the Academy Awards.
The film follows the preparation of several elaborate meals along with Dodin's ongoing efforts to get Eugenie to marry him. We also learn of Eugenie's health issues and their impact on Dodin and their relationship.
What to say about this movie? If you're a foodie, you may enjoy the lingering (and I mean lingering) preparation of gourmet food items. I'm not a foodie; where are my meat and potatoes? Dodin's gourmet companions are colorless, leaving a reasonably meager plot to Magimel and Binoche. By the end, I still didn't understand why Eugenie resisted Dodin's marriage proposal so long before eventually succumbing. Or did she finally resist another way? The ending leaves open possibilities.
I don't see this film doing well at the Academy Awards.