Chef DVD Review: Favreau has gone back to basics, with delicious results.
With an all-star cast, Chef proves to yet again that Jon
Favreau’s heart truly belongs to Indie flicks rather than the big action
Superhero movies that he also tackles with flare. Like the character he plays
in “Chef,” Favreau has gone back to basics, with delicious results. The delectable
foods that Chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) crafts are showcased with close-up
shots, but the true heart of the film is the family bonding that although predictable
at times is handled with perfect sentimentality.
Losing the struggle for balance between being a divorced dad and
being one of LA’s hottest chefs, Carl has become dissatisfied with life. Carl envisions
dumping the bland affair his demanding boss (Dustin Hoffman) wants, and
infusing his menu with the Cuban flare he dreams of. His sous chef Tony (Bobby
Cannavale), scrappy line cook Martin (John Leguizamo) and sometime girlfriend
Molly (Scarlet Johansson), the restaurant’s laid back hostess all urge him to make
the change, and go with his heart.
It all comes
to a head, the night influential restaurant blogger Ramsey Michel (Oliver
Platt) dines there. Bullied into
recycling an old menu, Ramsey utterly eviscerates Carl, which starts a twitter
war. Carl isn’t so tech savvy though and
things quickly spiral out of control, resulting in him packing up his knives and
walking out of his cushy job to figure out what to do next.
Carl finds himself in Miami where his rich ex-wife, Inez
(Sofia Vergara), hopes he can rediscover the joy of cooking and maybe even
reconnect with their son, Percy (Emjay Anthony). He’s able to do both with the
help of his ex’s ex (Robert Downey Jr.) who lends him the money for a greasy
old food truck. Taking Percy along as his sous-chef they embark on a cross country
trip back to LA bonding while Carl finds his cooking groove.
Favreau has assembled a terrific cast for a road trip that
is exuberant and heartfelt, all set to a great soundtrack. Newcomer Anthony
holds his own against the seasoned vets of the cast. Leguizamo and Vergara are
fantastic in their supporting roles, and Johannson’s small part is just enough
to add flavor without overwhelming.
On the Blu-ray there aren’t a whole lot of extras. It’s the
usual deleted scenes and commentary from Jon Favreau who wrote and directed
Chef, along with co-producer and chef Roy Choi, but the commentary is both fun
and insightful.
Chef is available now on Blu-Ray™ Combo pack DVD, digital HD
with ultraviolet™
0 comments: