For a box office bursting with big budget flicks like “Transformers,” “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and “Live Free or Die Hard,” there is an option for families as well as foodies – “Ratatouille.”
A recent afternoon outing found the Chaddock clan at the town’s brass
and glass corporate theater to catch the latest offering from Brad
Bird, who achieved critical as well as box office success with “The
Incredibles.”
Matinee admission for two children and two adults, along with four
small sodas and one small bag of popcorn, brought our total to $48.50.
(This is why I stopped seeing movies at the large corporate cineplex in
the first place. My advice? Tell the kids “no” when it comes to the
snack bar, unless you’re at the Old State Theater or one of the many
other locally owned theaters in the area such as Colfax or Grass
Valley.)
Let’s get back to the film. Everyone who knows my wife Rachel is aware
of her passion for cooking (and my passion for eating her meals is
certainly evident).
I figured “Ratatouille” would be one of those movies I’d rent or wait
to come on HBO Family. Rachel convinced me that the computer-animated
film featured “real cooking,” as she put it. I was skeptical at first,
but after the rat gave me a lesson on the staffing positions in a
gourmet restaurant’s kitchen, I realized this was a different kiddie
flick than what I was accustomed to.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “For six years, members of
Pixar Animation Studios took classes at Bay Area cooking schools and
channeled the artistry of Thomas Keller, the chef/owner of Napa
Valley’s critically acclaimed French Laundry restaurant.” For food
aficionados, Keller is well known and he served as an adviser to the
film (as well as voicing a bit part).
Early buzz blasted the film for its lack of “stars” doing the voices. I
don’t know about the rest of the world, but when I hear Mel Gibson in
“Pocahontas,” I hear Mel Gibson, not the character he’s portraying.
Patton Oswalt, known for his TV role on “King of Queens,” voices Remy,
the rat who yearns to be a chef. Ian Holm, who played Bilbo Baggins in
“Lord of the Rings,” lends his voice to Skinner, the villain. Others
notables in the cast include Brian Dennehy (“Cocoon”), Brad Garrett
(“Everybody Loves Raymond”), Peter O’Toole as Anton Ego, Janeane
Garofalo as love interest Collete and Lou Romano as Linguini (who we
last heard in “Cars”).
The film kept my interest the entire time as well as holding the attention of my kids – a real feat!
“Ratatouille” centers around two main characters – Remy the rat and
Linguini. Their paths cross at a former five-star restaurant that is
struggling. The chef, a beloved TV personality and author named
Gusteau, passed away and his former sous chef, Skinner, is due to
inherit the eatery.
Linguini’s mother sends her son to the restaurant for work, along with
a letter calling in a favor. He can’t cook, so Skinner reluctantly
gives him a job as garbage boy.
Soon, the rat who loves to cook and the boy who can’t join forces,
creating original dishes that begin to reclaim some of the restaurant’s
former glory.
Throw in newspaper restaurant critic Anton Ego (O’Toole), the
suspicious Skinner (who swears the boy had befriended a rat and sneaks
it into the kitchen, which is an allegation he strives to prove),
Remy’s rat clan who doesn’t understand why he can’t share the
restaurant’s bountiful pantry with them, and the lovely Collete, one of
the other chefs in the kitchen, and you have the recipe for a hit.
I highly recommend seeing this movie, even if you don’t have kids.
Local artist Stan Padilla, who was at the same showing, said he learned
quite a bit about the inner workings of a kitchen and cooking in
general. He also said the film was very positive. I couldn’t agree more.
“Ratatouille” is rated G and has a running time of 1 hour and 51 minutes.
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