Sunday, August 30, 2009

Julie and Julia

Have you read the book? If you haven't, it's actually OK. For once, for me, anyway, the movie was actually better. More fun, maybe? Or just didn't ruin the entire book looking back at it. Or all of the above.

While I enjoyed the book, I probably could have lived without reading it. I mean, don't get me wrong Julie Powell is a sweet woman, and her story is really cool. I mean REALLY cool. To write a blog while completing every recipe in the infamous cookbook of the one and only Julia Child, I mean, wow. Seriously. WOW.


But I could have lived without the play-by-play. I have heard from someone who read her blog as she was writing it that it was really hilarious. The book, not so much. Again, totally my opinion. A reminder that I would love to meet Julie Powell. I think I'd want to be friends with Julie Powell. And I really would love to read her blog (I think it's out there somewhere, but I'm not 100% sure, with all of the copyright issues and whatnot now that she's a celeb.) So please don't think I'm a hater!


I truly thought the movie was adorable, and not in the kiss of death kind of way. Meryl Streep redeemed herself tremendously from her crazy
Mamma Mia character! Her portrayal of Julia Child was amazing. Seriously. The two older women next to me kept talking about how she sounded JUST LIKE HER! I mean it. They were asking, throughout the movie, HOW IS IT THAT SHE SOUNDS JUST LIKE HER? (Man, talk about talkers!)

And Amy Adams was adorable. 100% adorable. There was no confusing her with Elissa Fisher. Or is it Ilissa? I never seem to remember, but either way, this was absolutely a refreshing character to watch Amy in. And the actor who played her husband. Talk about a cutie. I need to go and find out what else he has been in and rent it, DVR it, whatever it, ASAP!


And Stanley Tucci, I loved him! Even though every now and then I'd flashback and remember him having sex with Abby on
ER. I mean, I tried not to, but I just couldn't help thinking of the character. Although I can't, for the life of me, remember that character's name! I keep wanting to say Martucci, but that was a character in a book I just read, and that name kept making me think of Malucci (?) who was on ER way back when ... but I digress ...

Anyway, I definitely recommend going to see this movie. I even recommend the book if you're a foodie, or if you're not repulsed by horrifying recaps of recipes that include various animals, and animal parts. Me, that was a no-go and I had to skim a lot of it to ensure that I didn't become violently ill. Fortunately the movie doesn't hit you with as much of that as the book, so I didn't have to hide my eyes that often. Thank goodness!


And so, there you have it. My movie/book review! Bon Appetit!

3 comments:

  1. I heard of this movie, but didn't know what the "Julie" part was. I mean I know who Julia Child is, but where does "Julie" come in?

    Thanks for explaining it to me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You're the second person I've seen who has said the movie was better than the book. Looks like that's one I won't be reading!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I loved the movie and haven't read the book yet. I've been thinking about reading the book but I have a few others I need to read first. I guess I'll continue with that thinking.

    I also wonder if the blog is still out there. Maybe I'll try googling one day when I am bored. I can't imagine cooking every recipe in a cookbook. There are a few things I just can't eat like duck or mushrooms. Might make things hard.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are like air to a writer.

So please - say something - help me BREATHE!