Julie & Julia

Joining the pantheon of fine culinary-themed films like Babette's Feast and Eat Drink Man Woman, this gastronomic cinematic delight interweaves the stories of two creatively frustrated women who find professional fulfillment and, eventually, fame through cooking and writing about food. When Julia Child (Meryl Streep) arrives in Paris in 1948 with her diplomat husband, Paul (Stanley Tucci), she rhapsodizes in epicurean ecstasy over her first lunch: Dover sole sputtering in butter sauce. Floundering for a purpose in life, Julia enrolls at Le Cordon Bleu and eventually collaborates with Simone Beck (Linda Emond) and Louisette Bertholle (Helen Carey) to write a comprehensive French cookbook aimed at “servantless” Americans. Intricately juxtaposed is the contemporary dilemma faced by Julie Powell (Amy Adams), a downtrodden NYC downtown development worker who seeks solace by attempting to make all 524 butter-laden recipes in the first volume of Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days--in the tiny kitchen of the Queens apartment she shares with her long-suffering husband (Chris Messina)—all the while blogging about her travails. Adapted by writer-director Nora Ephron from Child's posthumously published autobiography and Powell's memoir, Julie & Julia finds Streep delivering another Oscar-caliber performance, capturing Julia's sing-song, vowel-elongating vocal cadence, while Adams is charming as her ardent admirer. Bon appetit! Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by writer-director Nora Ephron, a “Secret Ingredients” production featurette (28 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a “Family & Friends Remember Julia Child” tribute (48 min.), a “Julia's Kitchen” tour (23 min.), “Cooking Lessons” featuring Child and other chefs including Jacques Pepin and Suzanne Goin (23 min.), the “movieIQ” function featuring Child's original recipes, and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a wonderful foodie film.] (S. Granger)