Le Chef (Comme un chef) (Daniel Cohen, 2012): France

Reviewed by Jacob Wirsenius, viewed at Metro 4 Santa Barbara international film festival.

I really enjoyed watching this film, the second french film I saw on the film festival. I felt very professionally made and just because it was french made it, to me, a little bit funnier. Its about a chef called  I think everybody would enjoy seeing this film but you should eat before because there are a lot of nice food made during the film.  It’s starring Michael Youn as Jacky Bonnot, Jean Reno as Alexandre Lagarde. These two are the main characters during the film and their enemy is Julien Boisselier playing Stanislas Matter and it’s directed by Daniel Cohen. Jacky Bonnot is a naiv but very skilled chef who have trouble keeping his jobs because he can’t control his creativity. Alexandre Lagarde is a famous respected chef who owns a restaurant having three stars. But Lagarde is having trouble getting along with his boss. Stanislas Matter is that boss who’s trying to make Lagarde loosing a start so that he can fire him and hire another chef.

They start out with presenting the different characters, we see Jacky being fired from his job and we can fast understand that it’s been a problem for him during a long time. Jackys girlfriend forces him to take whatever job he can get because she is pregnant and they need money so he takes a job as a painter. Alexandre Lagarde is having problem coming up with his new spring menu which needs to be really good for him to keep the restaurant. Jacky is painting a building and when he comes by a window he noticed it’s the kitchen and he immediately starts to tell them what to do. He then jumps in to the kitchen and makes a meal which they server everybody in the kitchen. It becomes a success so he continue and help the kitchen with their food.  Jacky also knows every receipt Alexandre Lagarde so when Lagarde for some reason comes visit the place where Jacky paints and also does the food Lagarde notice that it’s one of his old dishes. He talks to Jacky and offer him an internship that Jacky can’t say no to. Jacky doesn’t tell his girlfriend because he knows that she wouldn’t approve.

I love the acting in this movie, it’s different from an american film so it’s interesting following that. Michael Youn does a really good job playing the naive and kind of dizzy chef. You really feel for him during the film and hope he will succeed which create an interest for the character and the film. When I see this movie I right away think of the Disney movie Ratatouille where there is a rat who is a brilliant chef but he cook in the quiet and then become noticed. I think that rat is very much like the character Michael Youn is playing.

If you like food, romantic comedy and France you will love this movie. Great acting, exciting story and funny.