BURNT - review

BURNT
Director: John Wells
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Daniel Brühl, Omar Sy, Riccardo Scamarcio, Matthew Rhys

Synopsis: Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) is a chef who destroyed his career with drugs and diva behaviour. He cleans up and returns to London, determined to redeem himself but spearheading a top restaurant that can gain three Michelin stars. 

I had heard that this was the most authentic kitchen movie that had been seen for a while, from a friend who is a chef. I had also heard that the film was "intense" from some random cinema patrons who overheard me picking up my tickets. These were two of the better comments I'd heard about the film. Critics have been panning this film, calling it a "kitchen nightmare" along with all manner of other ridiculous food metaphors. I went in with an average expectation of what the film might be, but high hopes of what I would see from such a strong cast.

Off I went on Friday night, way past my bedtime, just hoping that the film would be enough to keep me awake as I settled in with a half full cinema (not a great sign on opening weekend) to see Cooper take on the role of a determined man with everything and nothing to lose. Adam Jones calls in every favour that he has, which is almost none and sweet talks himself into revamping a top restaurant in London to get his third Michelin star. He has burned almost all of his bridges over the years, by being a drug addicted, hot headed diva with all the talent and none of the self-control. Claiming he got everything he ever wanted too early and didn't know how to handle it, he's cleaned up his act and is back with a vengance. He wants nothing more than to get his third star and he will need to best of the best to help him get it.

Bradley Cooper as Adam Jones

image via The Weinstein Company

He recruits some old friends from his Paris days, a young upstart with a spare room and a talented chef (who he gets fired from her current position). The competition is fierce, his past is laden with drama that is chasing him down (and by drama I mean a drug lord who he owes a shit-ton of money to), it was really out of the frying pan and into the fire for this chef. There's also the guy whose life Jones' ruined and so is now repaying the favour, and the girl who love-hates him and the guy who just plain loves him. Unfortunately for Cooper and the rest of the cast, this film only scratches the surface of what could have been a truly dramatic masterpiece. The scenes in the kitchen are some of the most realistic scenes I've seen in a kitchen movie, including all of the food wastage.

Omar Sy and Sienna Miller - making magic in the kitchen

image via The Weinstein Company

Credit where credit is due, the cast truly were fantastic in this film, they really showed depth of character particulalry given that they were all given something deeper and yet never really had the chance to explore it for us. I think that's what I found the most disappointing about this film, there was so much more there and the tiny glimpses you got were enough to make me sad that I wasn't seeing any further into these people's lives. Don't get me wrong, I totally get that you can't go into everything in a film or we'd be there forever, and BURNT was already close to two hours in length, BUT, if you're not going to let me eat the whole damn dish, don't let me taste it, it'll only make me mad.

There's plenty to like about BURNT and if you can get past the lack of depth that is shown in this film, then I think you might really enjoy it. Sadly I don't think it's going to go that well at the box office, so if you do want to see it I would get in quick, I think it will have a relatively short run. If you're a Bradley Cooper fan, or you just like kitchen dramas then sure, it could be worth paying 20-something dollars for, but I'm not conviced it was worth it.

xoxo
The Blonde Bombshell

LEARNING TO DRIVE - review

LEARNING TO DRIVE
Director: Isabel Coixet
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Grace Gummer, Jake Weber, Sarita Choudhury, Avi Nash

LEARNING TO DRIVE

After an arduous 4 days in Darwin for an Irish Dancing Feis run wholly on Darwin time (my least favourite time keeping method), I dragged my sore and swollen body back onto a plane and fossicked through the film choices for something that I hadn't already seen. 

Flicking through what I already knew was a sucky assortment of films from the flight up (I watched some random film I'd never heard of called RESULTS, don't bother people), I could not believe my good fortune when I stumbled upon a brand new release that I was hanging to see - LEARNING TO DRIVE. I was so very pleased, almost as pleased as I was to be seated across the aisle from some very attractive peen owners who bought me wine. You might ask why I would need a film to occupy my time, and I guess that is a valid question, but I like movies, and also talking to people for 4 hours across the aisle and disrupting the world is difficult and apparently frowned upon by the people in front of me (grumpy old codgers). 

Anyway, I digress, I got that film on my trendy little airline in-flight entertainment ap, settled myself in across two seats and commenced viewing of the only film I hadn't seen, sans crochet because for the first time ever they made me check my hook (pests). 

The first thing you might notice, is how incredibly white Ben Kingsley looks compared to all the other Indian characters in the film, but before you rage out about white washing, just remember that Kingsley is of Indian descent, and you may remember him from such other films as GHANDI where he played the title character. I have to say that although the difference is glaringly obvious, you should try not to let it detract from your enjoyment of the film. 

Darwan and Jasleen at their wedding

image via Madman

Anyway, here's the deal, Wendy (Patricia Clarkson) is an upper-middle-class book critic whose marriage abruptly ends and she realises that she has to start doing all the things for herself, like driving. Darwan (Ben Kingsley) is a driving instructor/taxi driver who is in the country for political asylum. Their paths cross when Wendy leaves something in his cab and Darwan returns it the following day in his driving instructor car. Wendy decides to get lessons from Darwan and the pair share a journey of self discovery with chemistry that shines in this film. 

Wendy learning to drive under Darwan's careful instruction

image viad Madman

Wendy has to figure out how to cope with life on her own following the realisation that if she hadn't been so focussed on her one true love (books) then her marriage might have survived. As well as that there is a little mother/daughter struggle that must be resolved and her incredible fear of driving. Darwan has struggles of his own to deal with, a family that want to send him a bride, the constant fear of religious persecution, harassment and abuse, and a house full of illegal immigrants that could be taken away at any point including his nephew. Darwan has a calm and focus that balances Wendy's neurotic and erratic behaviour, and he teaches as many lessons by speaking as not. 

LEARNING TO DRIVE is a nice film. There's nothing to rave about and nothing to piss and moan about, it's just nice. There isn't anything new about this "two complete strangers find something in common" formula either. It's sweet, but it's a very stock standard storyline without many twists and turns along the way. The most interesting thing about this storyline is that it let's you believe that there is romance afoot for Darwan and Wendy. 

I'm pleased to say that both Kingsley and Clarkson really shine in this film, the film itself isn't anything super amazing and magical, but the two of them are. It's high time that Clarkson has a film in which she can be the true star, and this is a role that she was made for. You don't see a whole lot of the supporting cast, but Wendy's daughter Tasha (Grace Gummer) and husband Ted (Jake Webber) are well cast and do a lovely job with the limited screen time they have. As do Darwan's new bride Jasleen (Sarita Choudhury) and nephew Preet (Avi Nash). 

the little seen but well cast family of Wendy

image via Madman

It will appeal to the same kind of audiences that flocked to see THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, but it certainly doesn't have that same magic. I don't think I missed anything by watching this on my iPad via the snazzy in-flight entertainment ap, and I don't think you'll miss anything if you want to download this via Apple movies or other similar movie viewers, but if you're after something to take your Ma or Grandma to, then I don't think you'll regret spending the 20-something dollars on if you do go to see it at the cinema. 

3 out of 5 stars

xoxo 

The Blonde Bombshell 

THE INTERN - review

THE INTERN
Director: Nancy Meyers
Cast: Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo, Anders Holm, JoJo Kushner, Andrew Rannells, Adam DeVine, Zack Pearlman, Jason Orley, Christina Scherer
Genre: Comedy
Run Time: 121mins

Synopsis: 7-year-old widower Ben Whittaker has discovered that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the fame, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin. 


I have been desperately wanting to catch up on movies after having a few weeks of not seeing any thanks to work and life and whatever. I mean how very dare they take me away from my favourite thing ever?! Such is the life of a high flying business manager I guess *sigh*. Anyway, the very fantastic Labor Government of Victoria gave us an extra public holiday this week so that we could all go and see the AFL Grand Final Parade (it's kind of a big deal to almost every person who sports in Victoria), and whilst I do not care so much for the parade, I was grateful for an additional day off which I put to good use by going to the cinema and avoiding everything to do with the final parade.

I rocked up with no plans of what I was going to see because there is so much on right now that I want to see, looked at what was on at the time, asked which one had the least amount of people in it and chose that one. THE INTERN.

Nancy Meyers has written and directed some very divisive pieces over the years (THE HOLIDAY, IT'S COMPLICATED, SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE) - fans tend to love them, critics tend to hate them. Mostly critics hate them because they tend not to have too much substance, and often a strange take on relationships. THE INTERN is not much different I'm afraid, critics are hating on it and fans are having a great time. The box office should do well, even though it is getting absolutely hammered by most critics. To be fair, the film is not an amazing, quality piece of cinema, however, I had a laugh, there were a couple of what I guess you could call 'twists' (although I picked them pretty early on), and there was a moment where some people had a teary. On the flip side, there were moments where I was annoyed, stunned and ashamed as well. Take it for what it is - a nice little piece of chick flick fodder and I think you'll have a decent enough time.

Ben, Jason and Davis after Ben's first meeting with the in house masseur

image via Warner Bros. 

Ben Whittaker (De Niro) is bored out of his mind as a retiree and becomes a senior intern at an online fashion company and is assigned to the company's founder Jules Ostin (Hathaway), who absolutely doesn't want an intern. Ben is old school, wears a suit to work every day, has a briefcase, carries a handkercheif, nobody in the company of 20-somethings understands him. Slowly but surely, they all come to appreciate him, turn to him for advice, and need him. Especially Jules. That takes all of about 30 minutes, so what could have been a nice little piece of conflictuous (thanks international male model David from the Bachelorette) drama is resolved and everyone is all lah-di-dah happy days.

Ostin has a family - a hubby and a young daughter - which I was not expecting, and hubby is a stay-at-home-dad, so Ostin can be a glass ceiling breaker, awesome sauce career woman. Not surprisingly the family suffers, and we hear about how women are supposed to be able to have it all and then when they get it everything else falls apart. That irked me a little - things fall apart because people don't work hard at keeping them together, not becuase a woman has a successful career. Again, this conflict is all sorted out in about 25 seconds and everyone lives happily ever after, boring, boring, boring. Just FYI if I had been in that situation, there would have been more than a few tears and a hug for it to be all better. I would have thrown shit and screamed and probably punched someone in the face. Clearly I am not as together as Jules Ostin is.

FYI this kid is pretty good as Ostin's daughter Paige - one to watch!

image via Warner Bros. 

Ben gets his own little love interest in Fiona the in house massuer (Rene Russo) who is probably 10 years his junior, after we see him running screaming from the woman his own age who clearly has a thing for him. Why is the notion of dating a woman the same age, who isn't as glamourous as say Rene Russo is, such a laughable idea? Why do we have to be force fed the idea of a man seeing a younger woman because she is more attractive?  Annoying point number 3.

The best bit of the film was when Ben and three of his younger colleagues break into Ostin's mother's house to delete an email that she accidentally sent, which turns into a hilarioius caper. It has nothing to do with the central plot and I'm surprised it didn't end on the cutting room floor, but I'm glad it didn't. It was hysterical and gave the film a lift just when you needed it.

Breaking and entering hijinks - hilarity ensues

image via Warner Bros.

Everyone lives happily ever after, the conflicts are resolved with no muss and no fuss, and even though there is plenty of on screen blubbering (Ben carries a handkercheif to assist all the women who are always crying), this is generally a feel good piece of fodder.

The casting is fabulous, although the character of Ben was a little restrictive and I would have loved to have seen more from De Niro, he was funny and charming and played it with a little sparkle that you can't help but love. Hathaway was endearing, and although her character was a little vapid, she did a wonderful job at keeping me engaged through her character. Sadly the supporting roles are a little thinly written, and while they had their funny moments, there was potential for more to come out of that talented bunch.

The direction was exactly what I've come to expect from Meyers, the film flows nicely through a relatively corny and misogynist script. The set is impeccable which is no surprise for a Meyer film, however the soundtrack was waaaayyyy to schmultzly for me. It invoked more of the "shhhh" vibe than the emotions it probably meant to invoke.

Overall, THE INTERN isn't a front runner of films to go see given all the amazing things that are on at the moment, however, if you've seen everything or you're into a good chick flick, or you really like Meyer's other stuff then THE INTERN is for you and you probably wouldn't mind spending the 20-something dollars on it.

2.7 out of 5

xoxo
The Blonde Bombshell