Chef, which was written, directed, and starring Jon Favreau has not only been out on Dvd/Blu-ray for a little over a month, but it’s now officially streaming on Netflix as I type this impromptu review.
Bottom line, I’m kicking myself in the ass for having missed this while it was in theaters as it certainly warranted my money, and maybe yours as well. It has heart from beginning to end while it follows the life of Chef Casper (Favreau) who ends up losing his head chef position at an LA restaurant, only to rekindle his creative passion for cooking as he starts up a food truck down in Miami. And the reason it has charm, and heart is the genuine performance of Mr. Favreau in this role.
This is a film that highlights the importance of family, i.e. the relationship he fully develops with his son, being a good parent, and Chef Casper’s own conscious coming full circle by the end of the film’s final act. It’s also the kind of film anyone can relate to, even if you’re not a foodie– Beware though, you may end up craving a killer Cuban or grilled cheese sandwich before the closing credits. I know I did.
Additionally, Favreau was able to attract top acting talent to this Indie film with the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Robert Downey, Jr, Scarlett Johanssen, John Leguizamo, and all around great performances from everyone in the main and supporting cast.
My thinking here is that audiences will be yearning for more low-key films like this in the future to counter the over-abundance of big summer, big-budget action films that Hollywood seems to care more about in this era of filmmaking. So cheers to Mr. Favreau for creating a movie that can leave you satisfied without the need for comic book heroes, or explosions going off every few minutes. Not an easy task in this day and age.
Either way, it’s absolutely worth a look in case you missed it in theaters this past summer, and before this review ends, I’ve included the theatrical trailer to wet your appetites even more….
4 out of 4 stars
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