An uptight chef not only has to take care of her niece but also ends up getting some heat in the kitchen when a colorful, male sous-chef comes into her kitchen and the sparks fly.
The film is a very nice little entrée that satisfies the palate, even if you’ve heard of the dish before.
Driven and uptight, chef Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones) knows how she wants her dishes prepared and beware if you send back a dish on one of her bad nights. This sort of behavior has prompted restaurant owner Paula (Patricia Clarkson) to force Kate into sessions with a therapist (Bob Balaban).
Tragedy occurs when Kate’s sister is killed in a car accident and her niece Zoë (Abigail Breslin) has to come and live with her. The staid Kate has to adjust to having a child in her care as well as deal with the death of her sister. Paula sends Kate home for some time off so that she can adjust to being an instant parent and Kate does have to take some time but can’t keep out of the restaurant’s kitchen.
While Kate is away, Paula hires sous-chef Nick Palmer (Aaron Eckhart) who is the exact opposite of Kate, gregarious, colorful, and outgoing (you know what they say about opposites?). As Kate begins to grow to love and care for her niece she also becomes more accepting of Nick and romance begins to blossom.
Okay, it’s not exactly a new storyline but the plot has been repeated before because it works. It’s like that favorite dish at your favorite bistro – you order it again and again because it tastes delicious. No Reservations is such a concoction.
Sure we have the old “opposites attract” and “newly orphaned child connects with distant relative” storylines but the wonderful performances are what makes this soufflé rise. Both Aaron Eckhart and Catherine Zeta-Jones share a wonderful chemistry and it’s a delight to see them on the screen.
Abigail Breslin delivers another fine performance that both tugs at the heartstrings and causes the heart to swell with delight. It made a decent amount at the box office (restaurant?), but it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser on the rental market (take-out?) so give this one a taste.
I guess the subject matter might be a little much for younger kids (the death of the girl’s mother is pretty sad) but it would make a good film for families with older kids. I could be wrong, but I remember the trailer stressing the comedic elements of the film so the heavy drama was a bit of a surprise to me, but I ended up loving every bite.
No Reservations is presented in both anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 televisions and fullscreen. You’ll be asked to make your selection when you hit the play button.
Special features include a 21-minute episode of “Unwrapped” from the Food Network devoted to the movie. Host Marc Summers interviews the stars of the show (Zeta-Jones, Eckhart, and Breslin), director Scott Hicks, but also chefs Michael White and Lee Anne Wong who taught the stars how to navigate in the kitchen.
Take some great stars with chemistry, add an adorable child star that is a great actress, add some drama and comedy, stir and you’ve got a delicious entrée. The film is a drama so you might need some hankies for some of it, but I found it a tasty treat. Bon appetite.
No Reservations is now available at Amazon and AmazonUK . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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