Movie Review: Julie & Julia

Julie & Julia is the story of two women, living in two different eras, living parallel lives in search of something to fulfill their soul. One of the women is acclaimed French Chef, Julia Child, played by Meryl Streep. The other is writer/blogger, Julie Powell, played by Amy Adams. The movie is based on Julie Powell's blog "The Julie/Julia Project" which chronicles Julie Powell's, post 9/11 civil servant or as she states, “government drone,” personal challenge of cooking 564 recipes from the cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Berthole in 365 days (or one year). But the more interesting part of the movie is that we get to experience how Julia Child, transformed from a civil servant/housewife living in Paris to be one of the most loved and respected French Chefs in the world.

I found myself inspired by this movie, not because of the story line, but because it also reflected my own life and the search of fulfillment. Like these two women, my family life is wonderful, my life in general is great, but there's just a bit of “je ne sais quois" missing. In addition, there were so many other parallels in the movie to my own personal story that I wanted to yell, "Yes...If Julie and Julia can...so can I!" Here are the parallels" Blogger (I'm a blogger...of three blogs), Food (I love food), Paris (my most favorite city in the world), Houghton Mifflin (I use to work for HMCo as one of their event managers), Julia Child (She lived at Casa Dorinda, a retirement center, in Santa Barbara and I've been to her old suite), cooking (I love to cook...especially out of a recipe book), and the thought of being discovered (who doesn't want to be known for what they do well). So, you see, the movie spoke to me in more ways than one.

But I digress, back to the movie...Meryl Streep stole the show and I would be surprised if this did not earn her another Oscar nomination...or the statuette itself. She was Julia Child and I was amazed at how well she embodied that character. All I could see was Julia Child cooking a meal for me on her show The French Chef.

The voice, the characteristics, the joy on her face was truly Julia Child. Amy Adams did a wonderful job as Julie Powell as well, but all I wanted to see was more of Meryl's Julia! Stanley Tucci (Paul Child) and Chris Messina (Eric Powell) played the loving and supporting husbands to Julie and Julia wonderfully. What I especially loved about this movie was the contrast of overly optimistic Julia Child to the snarky Julie Powell.

Julie & Julia has to be the best feel good movie of the year. I would even be as bold to say that it is now one of my favorite movies of all time. I highly recommend this movie and encourage all of you to experience the magic of Julie & Julia. Even the guys will enjoy it. Foodies...this is your movie.

So, for its wonderful story line and the joy of seeing Meryl Streep as Julia Child, I give this movie my No Pee Rating!

MPAA: Rating PG-13 for brief strong language and some sensuality.

Run time: 123 minutes

Bon Appetite et Regarder heureux de Film! (all said in Julia Child's voice)

-Percy
The P-List
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Movie photo from Julie & Julia