The Film
Just in case the first two Iron Man installments didn't leave you hungry for more Jon Favreau movies, we have Chef. It's the first movie where he's served as producer, director, writer and lead actor since 2001's Made (and his second overall) and it certainly whets your appetite -- well, for a lot of things.
Favreau plays Carl Casper, a celebrity chef who finds himself in a culinary rut at his restaurant job. After his boss (Dustin Hoffman) forces him to perform his "greatest hits," Carl gets a nasty review from a popular food critic/blogger (Oliver Platt). That's where the shit hits the fan, as well as the Internet. Thanks to Twitter and an unsavory YouTube video, Carl becomes a bit of a viral sensation, but not really in a good way. He soon discovers that there is such a thing as bad publicity, as he becomes completely unemployable.
Of course, Chef isn't just about Carl and his career. It's also about his relationships. He seems to have a decent one with his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara), a good one with his former line cook Martin (John Leguizamo), and well... not much of one with his son (Emjay Anthony). Of course that, as well as his outlook on life, begins to change once he turns to life behind the wheel -- of his very own food truck.
The above cast doesn't even scratch the surface of famous faces that appear in Chef. Favreau obviously made a lot of calls for this one. However, the cast is just one of the things that makes this movie work. Another thing is the food. Not since Big Night has a movie left me physically hungry. It all looks so awesome! Finally, the web plays a very important role in Chef, making perfect for the modern movie-watcher. I'm just not sure how perfect it will be 10 to 20 years from now. That said, Chef is a deliciously entertaining story with an upbeat story and an excellent cast.
The Picture
Feast your eyes on this gorgeous 2.40:1 image! Chef will certainly have you drooling from the opening shots of the grapefruit sections, all the way down to the last morsel in the finale. (That funky pan during the truck cleanout isn't as delectable, but it's equally as impressive to lay eyes on.) It's not as eye-popping as a movie with all sorts of cool special effects, but Chef has so many varied ingredients, actors and other items throughout the movie and handles them so well. It's quite the smorgasbord of delicious imagery.
The Sound
First and foremost, Chef is about the dialogue and has a lone DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track to deliver that with ease. Otherwise, a bit of kitchen chatter and even a few motorcycles rumble through the soundfield on occasion. However, much of the surrounds are consumed by the film's Latin-flavored soundtrack. It's pretty bold, with something popping up (and rocking out) every few minutes.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
For a while now, Jon Favreau has been looked at as a talented director of big-budget blockbusters. One or two Iron Man movies will do that to you. However, he's also an insanely talented writer and actor. Chef allows him to use the entire toolbox, with great success. The Blu-ray's extras may leave you hungry for more. However, this is a funny, entertaining story, with an excellent cast and great visuals.
Product Details
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