This summer I went to see Julie & Julia in theaters. I expected to like it (I also expected to be hungry), but after two hours of “pure bliss,” I walked away extremely satisfied, as if I had just finished off a plate of Madame Child’s Bouef Bourguignon. As the winter winds grew colder and brought the holidays in with them, I had a craving for something warm and delicious, that no amount of baking could satisfy. Lucky for me, Santa brought the DVD on Christmas Day, and I happily enjoyed the film for the second time that evening. With the Golden Globes coming up, I thought it would be fitting to revisit Meryl’s nominated role, and one of the most delectable films of 2009.
The intertwined stories of relatively unknown New York Julie Powell (Amy Adams) and household name Julia Child (Meryl Streep) have a logical association. Though their stories take place more than 50 years apart (Julia’s begins in 1949, Julie’s in 2002), both capture each woman at a crossroads in her life. Fresh off the boat from America, Julia Child accompanies her diplomat husband Paul (Stanley Tucci) to Paris, where she doesn’t speak the language (but loves to try, Meryl’s first lines are Julia’s hilarious attempts at basic French sayings), and doesn’t know exactly what she will do with her life. She is determined not to become another French housewife (“French women don’t do anything!”), yet wishes to find a way to incorporate her love of eating into something productive. Her answer: she ambitiously enrolls herself in a class at Le Cordon Bleu, where she hones a craft which will later introduce her to the world of cookbooks, television, and international fame. Across the ocean, over the East River, and in an apartment above a pizzeria, Julie works out the frustrations from her thankless job and college frenemies (the kind of women who meet for the “ritual cobb salad lunch,” only to sit silently while they chatter on their cell phones to their assistants about their terribly important lives, looking down at women like Julie for her lowly cubicle-headset-wearing existence) through a year-long quest to create every recipe from Julia’s own Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Being a woman of the modern world, Julie executes this venture through a blog, which allows her to follow through on her old literary aspirations (she did publish half a novel…).
Confronting the difficulties of cooking a crustacean. (Photo courtesy of stageandcinema.com)
Julie is obviously the more relatable character. Besides her modern context, her self-deprecating humor and insecurities about failure are things most young women have felt and experienced. Her old college friends who have no time for her because of their very important million dollar deals, is another indicator that Powell is the film’s every woman character, as she appears to live a “normal,” life.
Julia showing us how it's done (Photo courtesy of NYTimes/David Giesbrecht/Columbia Pictures)
Julia’s life is a dream, and watching Meryl Streep play her is a delight. Julie gets lost reading about Julia, and her obsession with her verges on disturbing as she drones on about how perfect Child was and how she could never compare. While watching Streep perfect Child’s voice, mannerisms, and overall spirit, the viewer too becomes caught up in Julia, and her appreciation for all of life’s deliciousness. You can’t help but smile while watching her on-screen, she simply puts you in a good mood. For foodies, fans, or just those who appreciate empowering stories about independent and ambitious women, this is for you. Speaking from someone who knew little to nothing about Child before seeing the film, if you have grown up with Julia Child’s distinctive voice in your ear, Meryl Streep’s performance will certainly bring you back to the days in front of your parents’ television. While some may argue that Amy Adams’ screen time was far less enjoyable, I disagree. For me, watching Julie was like envisioning myself, or any other mere kitchen mortal with secret Top Chef aspirations, making good on a life long dream. It’s inspiring, motivating, funny, sweet, and one of my favorite films of the year. Visually, the shots of the food are appetizing enough to make you want to move to France for good, or decide to dine out every night of the week and disregard exercise and all advice against using too much butter. Bon apetit!
