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For a quick synopsis of the movie, it begins by showing Hassan Kadam and his family as genial cooks in the crowded and noisy city of Mumbai, India. I was struck by the intensely bright colors and vibrant feeling of the first scene of the movie (that of Hassan and his mother at the daily market). However, the movie takes a nosedive for the worst, and violence quickly ensues as the family restaurant is destroyed by political extremists. In a gutting twist of fate, the matriarch of the tight-knit family, Mama, is killed in the all-consuming fire. The torn family then travels to London and France to escape the pain of the mother’s death and to further the family’s Indian restaurant. Of course, their hunk-of-junk car breaks down in Rotterdam, an idyllic town in France with picturesque narrow streets, a church on the banks of a river, and a bustling fresh market. And, wink wink, Hassan meets a pretty French girl who slowly becomes his friend as the family restaurant takes root in Rotterdam. Enter Madame Mallory, the arrogant and snooty high-class restaurant owner across the street from the Indians that causes most of the conflict in the whole movie. Her abominable behavior, as well as her rotten employees, cause strife to the Hassan’s family, including bodily injure (i.e. fire). Although I do not want to spoil too much, I could have sniffed from a mile away the sappy ending: the heart of the horrible woman begins to thaw, Hassan realizes his rad kitchen skills, and the stuffy French restaurant and the Indian eatery become allies in the end. However, the character development of Hassan is interesting; after becoming a hot shot chef in Paris, he eventually returns to Rotterdam, his heart aching for his family and adopted hometown.
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Hassan to Paris! http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenue_Victor-Hugo_(Paris) |
Why does every movie have to incorporate overt violence and sappiness? Those were the only two downfalls to the film; however, they were insignificant compared what was actually produced well. This film centered around the essence of food and the memories that it has the power to invoke. My senses were certainly stimulated, and the elegant shots of eggs being whisked, of homemade olive oil being poured slowly into a clear bowl, and of a multitude of spices being sprinkled around as if they were grains of sand were a pleasure to behold. My wanderlust feeling was certainly sated as well. Although some of the scenes looked fake and almost too good to be true, I had a gut feeling they weren’t because I have been to France twice. Interestingly, the movie was filmed completely in France, from the serene village of Castelnau-de-Lévis in Tarn (where there are beautiful ruins) to the bustling streets of Paris. I had an overwhelming urge to hop on an American Airlines flight, wander through the winding streets of provincial France, and eat fresh food (i.e. caprese salad, chocolate croissants) all day long. The colors were so alive and vibrating in the film that they enhanced the setting immensely—it didn’t seem like a tacky prefabricated Hollywood set. I also enjoyed this movie because of the characters, particularly the Indian family. Since I am half Indian (and since my Indian relatives all live in England), I could relate so well to Hassan and his family. Although my Indian cousins are not chefs and did not grow up in Mumbai, their mannerisms and speech were similar to Kadam family’s. For example, my father is extremely economical, and Papa Kadam said at one point in the film “Asking for a discount doesn’t mean I’m poor—it means I’m thrifty.” This quote resonated with me because so many people have stereotypes against Indians—that we’re poor, cheap, and “from the gutter.”
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| Caprese Salad! http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Insalata_Caprese_(from_Poznan).JPG |
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The real turning point in the movie was when Hassan’s hands became burned because of an ambush of the Indian restaurant during the dead of night. After that, Madame Mallory became human-like again; even the lines of her face became softer and less threatening. The transition was heart-warming, but the character of Marguerite annoyed me to no end. She was throwing several hissy fits because Hassan, AKA her super cute fan boy, was a more capable chef than she was. Their romance generally became more and more sappy until I couldn’t take Hassan’s puppy-dog expressions anymore. No matter, the “warm” feeling the movie exuded was enough to keep me interested (as well as the dramatic shots of delicious foods). Another quote struck me as interesting: “India is not classical; we are the oldest civilization in the world.” This was stated by Papa, and he was the comic relief in the movie.
Overall, I would heartily recommend this movie to fellow travel-addicts like me because of the beautiful scenery, quirky/poignant moments, and the depiction of delicious (albeit interesting) exotic foods. The sappiness was bothersome at times, but it added to the light vibe the movie embodied. The panoramic flying view of Paris was pretty amazing, as well as the smooth French language that pervaded the movie.