Can Helen Mirren break from tradition and nurture talent in the kitchen, even if that talent comes from a competing restaurant? That’s the plot for The Hundred-Foot Journey.
Logline
Hassan and his family, including his Papa, leave Mumbai and find a new life in Europe. After getting stuck in a small French town, Papa sees the future in a rundown forgotten restaurant. Encouraged, Papa buys the land even though only one hundred feet across the street is a well-known and Michelin-starred restaurant that is run by Madame Mallory.
Papa presses on, and while Madame Mallory and he battle at wits with small-time shenanigans over supremacy of the culinary kind, Hassan continues his food journey. Working with Marguerite from Madame Mallory’s, Hassan learns to infuse Indian spices with traditional French cooking faire.
The result is spectacular. Forging a bond with Madame Mallory, Hassan excels in the kitchen, and soon thanks to his skill, Madame Mallory’s earns another Michelin star. Success brings fame, and Hassan is swept up in the instant stardom of the food world. Traveling to Paris, Hassan’s abilities only grow, and his cooking talent become the talk of the tables of Paris.
For all the moments of fame and success, Hassan misses his home in the small French town, and he misses Marguerite. Soon the budding superstar chef must decide where he wants to be. At the high-end parties in Paris, or in the small town he left behind.
High Praise
The movie is a delight — a feast for the eyes and ears. From the mythical world of the family’s restaurant in Mumbai, to the joy of Marguerite and Hassan picking wild mushrooms in the French countryside, everything about the film is served well done and sure to delight the audience.
I like Hassan, and the fact that his conflict with his father is not burnt to a crisp (pun intended) with family drama. Papa and Hassan disagree on many things, but they love each other and learn to back off from one another’s life.
Helen Mirren is simply perfect in every way possible.
What Were They Thinking?
The story is thin in substance, and predictable in every way. Once Hassan leaves for Paris, everyone knows he must come back home, and that he will certainly be back soon.
Naturally, Papa and Madame Mallory would have a relationship. It was forecasted from a mile away.
Backlot Knowledge
- Helen Mirren was nominated for a Golden Globe for her work in the film.
- Lasse Hallstrom was nominated for an award at the Locarno International Film Festival.
- Hallstrom won the Audience Award and the Truly Moving Picture Award from the Norwegian International Film Festival and Heartland Film Festival respectively.
- Om Puri reportedly was also called Papa by the cast. He even took that fatherly role to heart by moving out of the hotel they stayed in for a place with a better kitchen so that he could cook for everyone.
- Though it may look real on screen, the two restaurants at the center of the battle for culinary supremacy were digitally created.
- Hassan’s family name is Kadam which translates to step in English which has a nice mirror to the plot of the movie.
- The movie is based on Richard C. Morais’ 2010 novel of the same name.
- Oprah reportedly loved the book and sought to adapt it to the big screen.
- Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon spent time observing in kitchens prior to production.
- The movie grossed over $10 million on its opening weekend and landed in the fourth spot at the box office.
Critical Response
{Snub-Skip this Film, Overexposed-Desperate for Something to Watch, Clapper-A Perfect Film For Any Device, Magic Hour– You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen, Award Worthy- This Film is Cinema.}
Movies are meant to be enjoyable and entertaining. There is a certain uniqueness to The Hundred-Foot Journey that few films have. The movie simmers like a well-prepared feast, with talent and love from the actors that infuse a healthy does of reality and silliness in this culinary fairytale.
There is not much in the recipe that is complicated or deep in detail with the film. The Hundred- Foot Journey is a perfect movie to not be taken seriously, and one that will entertain your visual tastebuds for a joyful time. It’s not award worthy, but The Hundred-Foot Journey gets the Clapper Award for being the perfect film for any device.
Best Quotable Line
When Papa was negotiating the purchase of the restaurant it was intimated that he was poor because he looked for a discount. His response is hilarious.
“Madame, asking for discount doesn’t mean I’m poor, it means I’m thrifty.”
Call Sheet
- Helen Mirren as Madame Mallory
- Om Puri as Papa
- Manish Dayal as Hassan
- Charlotte Le Bon as Marguerite
Production Team
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom
Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Amblin Entertainment / DreamWorks Pictures / Harpo Films
Written by Steven Knight and Richard C. Morais
Release Date: August 8, 2014
Budget: $22 million
Domestic Box Office Gross: $54,240,821
Worldwide Box Office Gross: $89,514,502
Coming Attractions
Next week, a look back at the Michael J. Fox comedy Life with Mikey.