This post will be short. And when I say short, I mean short.
Chef is a good movie. It incorporates a lot of character drama that works based on the wonderful chemistry each actor has with one another, specifically Jon Favreau has with everyone around him. I also really enjoyed John Leguizamo’s performance as Favreau’s best friend, who acted with just as much flair as his on-screen amigo. A lot of the reason this film succeeds as well as it does is because of the characters, and how real they feel within the circumstances that surround them. Truly, just about everyone acts superbly, accentuating all the drama, heartfelt emotion, and passion that went into each scene. I even found the film funny at times. If there’s one thing that makes it less desirable to recommend would be the narrative structure, which doesn’t develop as well as it could have. Many relationships are salvaged or cut off for the sake of a greater single focus, and things end up feeling a little too good to be true by the end. Almost as if Favreau were checking the boxes as to what he needed to do to properly extinguish all loose strings, no matter how messy the aftermath. Where Chef succeeds is its culture, its wit, and its love for telling a story… even if the story is one best served for a campfire on a warm, cozy night.
Final Score: 8/10
The rating for all other films can be found on my IMDb account. (Note: After today, my ratings archive will be changed to Letterboxd.)
For more, check out the March of the Movies Archive!
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