JULIE AND JULIA 3.5*** (almost 4***) As you’ll learn from this delightful movie, you can never have too much butter for cooking, and also you can never have too much of Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. “J & J” is based on two best-selling memoirs, one from famous cook and chef, Julia Child, and the other by Julie Powell, a woman whose life was greatly affected by Child's cookbook. Director and screen writer Nora Ephron handles the material well, blending the two narratives, the two different time periods and locations, and the comedy and drama into a delicious tale of a deliriously cheery woman and a typical, practical city girl who are liberated and empowered by cooking.

In 1949 France, American Julia Child (Streep) settles in with her diplomat husband Paul (Stanley Tucci) to a new environment and tries to sort out what she wants to do with her time. After determining that she has an uncanny love of food (shopping for groceries is as much fun to her as other women find buying a new dress), she takes up schooling in French cooking, eventually teaches a few students, and then for 8 years works on her enormous French cookbook.

In 2002, Julie Powell is adapting to a new apartment in Queens, N.Y. with her writer husband Eric (Chris Messina) and her depressing job as a government agency secretary. Her spare time is devoted to food. When her day job starts to really wear away at her soul, she sets a unique goal for herself: to prepare every recipe in Julia Child's cookbook - 524 recipes in 365 days. Along the way she must deal with the strain on the relationship with her husband, a lobster killing ordeal, and, for her, the dreaded, formidable task of boning a duck.


Streep is marvelous as Julia….her transformation into the character is nothing short of brilliant...a masterful performance that is so multi-layered and natural that it’s easy to forget that Streep is not the chef herself. Her voice is perfect, her characterizations are absolutely stunning, and the spirit she brings to the character shines forth as lovable and endearing. Amy Adams is, as well, terrific in a simpler, plainer way. She is one of Hollywood's truly great up-and-coming actresses (and one of my favorites). Adams embodies Powell with an almost heartbreaking beauty that surrounds a fragile vulnerability...so, as she struggles with her project, you want to just give her a great big ole' hug. Streep and Adams blend together to become the perfect recipe for a delicious and delightful feast of heart, humor and wondrous storytelling. It is easily one of the best movies in 2009, a crème de la crème.

Bon Appétit !!!

Clark

TRIVIA NOTE: Consider this, Meryl Streep has been nominated 15 times for an Oscar and has won 6 times. It’s interesting to note that her first movie in 1977 was “Julia”, her first nomination was in 1978 for “The Deer Hunter”, her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress was in 1979 for “Kramer vs. Kramer” and her first Oscar for Best Actress was in 1982 for “Sophie’s Choice”. Since her cinematic debut in 1977, and during the past 32 years, she has never gone more than five years without an Oscar nomination. She also holds the record for the most Golden Globes nominations with 23, and along with Angela Lansbury and Jack Nicholson, holds the record for the most Golden Globe wins with 6.