GENRE:
Thriller / Dark Comedy
RATING:
R for strong violence and some language
RUNTIME:
1 hour and 39 minutes
PLATFORM:
Movie Theatre
STARRING:
Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List, Harry
Potter series)
Anna Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s
Gambit); Nicholas Hoult (The Great)
DIRECTOR:
Mark Mylod (Succession, Shameless, Game
of Thrones)
WRITERS:
Seth Reiss (Late Night with Seth Meyers)
Will
Tracy (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver)
PLOT:
A couple eat an exclusive restaurant with a lavish menu and some shocking
surprises.
FULL DISCLOSURE: Not a foodie.
STORY STUFF: While the first third of the film plays out as a satire on the foodie lifestyle with an intricate menu and a variety of self-involved guests, it suddenly takes a very dark turn. The thriller takes over but still manages to remain refined in its dastardliness. The film kept me engaged as each course gets more disturbing. What pulled me out were the interactions between the chef and one of his guests. I guess it gives us someone to root for but it made the antagonist weaker and therefore less ominous at times. I appreciate tight running time.
ACTING STUFF: Fiennes is creepy yet compelling as Chef Slowik, a food artist who goes beyond theme meals. His commanding presence and obsession with his craft will keep you coming back for seconds. Taylor-Joy is the stand-in for the audience which allows us to mock the behavior of the pretentious guests. She plays the disgust well. Hoult is annoying as he should be. There are some other interesting guests but the business trio were some of my favourites.
ARTISTIC STUFF: The food looks amazing; that shouldn’t be a surprise though. The production design of the small secluded restaurant is classy yet claustrophobic. I loved the titling of the different courses and ingredients, it added to the charm of this film. The lighting is a little dark at times but I guess I should expect that for a thriller.
VERDICT:
Four and a half stars out of five
SEE IT IF:
You like a fun murder mystery
UPCOMING REVIEW: Babylon
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