Julie & Julia

Even if your knowledge of the culinary arts doesn’t stretch far beyond the ability to make a bologna sandwich, you will find Julie & Julia a cinematic feast that’s hard to resist. By interweaving two unique stories – the struggle of legendary chef Julia Child to learn her craft and the battle that blogger Julie Powell had trying to actually make the recipes from Child’s classic cook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking – director Nora Ephron takes the audience on a delightful journey that covers everything from the struggle to create art to the struggle to make a decent beef bourguignon. The centerpiece of the film, of course, is Meryl Streep’s performance as Childs. Much more than a mere imitation, Streep manages to take all the famous mannerisms of the well-known chef, especially her unique voice, and makes them come alive on screen. And while the broader aspects of her acting are the ones that are immediately appealing, be it just hearing her say “bon appetit’ or watching her nonchalantly toss an omelet in a pan an miss catching most of it – it is the nuance that Streep brings to the film’s quieter scenes, especially the intimate moments she shares with her husband Paul (a wonderful Stanley Tucci) that makes the whole thing work.