Movie Review: Horrorcomedy 'The Menu' Serves A Meal To Die For
In the wildly ambitious camp of seasoned foodies, there are two types of food: eaters and tasters. Depending on your persuasion, you'll either taste what's on the Menu or be forced to send it to budding chef Mark Mylod's hot kitchen.
I myself? I swallowed until it became too hard to swallow. I love the ingredients: Anya Taylor-Joy in freshly made tomato sauce and Nicholas Hoult on the sticks; The good guy Ralph Fiennes is a bit "cold"; a chunky ham via John Leguizamo, who jabbed a large fork into the beefy actor; and some cheeseburgers from Adam McKay and Will Ferrell, who worked behind the scenes to make the whole show happen. No, my beef with Mylod ("The Sequel"), which shows a lot of confusion the first time around about tone and intent.
First, writers Seth Reiss and Will Tracy consistently chose simple and too revealing introductions for the 1 percent who like expensive and exotic adventures. That includes winning $1,250 for the privilege of partying in front of celebrity chef Slowik (Fiennes) on a 12-acre Pacific island where everything is self-contained, including knife-wielding staff. flatterer
It is so exclusive that only a dozen people are allowed in each night. But tonight won't be ordinary as we know it. In fact, it borders on apocalyptic. Instead of eating and running, it basically eats and dies. But the death was accidental or unseemly. There is either respect or disrespect for members of the service industry. And not against us. It consists of all levels of hierarchy built by those with the most money and the most power.
Of course, this fits perfectly into McKay's wheelhouse of tycoons, elitists, criminals and abusers of power. In fact, the entire film has "McKay" written on it, from the clumsy attempts to put the fat in its place, to clever trash like "The Big Short" used to educate the audience in the secret language of amateurs... to tear us apart Here's a detailed explanation of each course it says on the screen. A total of 12 plans will be implemented. Should I say "expected" by us or by them? ‒ may not make it a dessert.
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But where's the meat and potatoes? And most importantly, what is it for? I expected something deeper than the binary corruption of the super rich and super arrogant. But that's about it. And that's disappointing. Still, I recommend it because it somehow manages to be entertaining, especially in the film's funnier second half, when they take everything from weirdos to action movies (and the knights who star in them). Despite my better judgment, I burst out laughing as I stirred the marshmallows and accelerator into a delicious flame.
And thanks to good acting we stay invested, with Janet McTeer as the annoying, cynical restaurant critic and Judith Light as the losing wife of a rich, silver-haired man who's easy to mistake for the walking dead. They effectively provide likable characters who lack depth and inner life. They're all just kids, including Hoult's Tyler, who dares Slow to die for his food in Chef Slow's kitchen. Be careful what you wish for, son.
From the start, you wonder why a classy, beautiful, and hot woman like Margo Taylor-Joy would be within 10 feet of Tyler himself. Hell, he doesn't even know his last name. But like many of the mysteries that compose The Menu, the answers are so obvious you'll beat yourself up for not knowing sooner. This is a role where you can see Emma Stone win gold and an Oscar round. It's amazing how Taylor-Joy captures this mood as she delivers a performance that's raw, passionate, and ultimately rewarding.
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Same with Fiennes looking like Slowi Goebbels in training. When he clapped loudly, everyone sat up and took notice. We also! And an actor you see barely hides his delight, pretending to be mass murderer Jim Jones who dared to play for his duped fans. I think it's already in this MAGA period. They see lambs kneeling at the feet of celebrities, politicians, and evangelists who won't be back in a million years.
However, haven't we already realized this? And Mylod is where it stops. For him, satire is food served on a cold table. But not when it's ice. Needs a little heat. And without it, "The Menu" struggles to pass the taste test. Give it a try, you might like it. But don't forget the Alka Seltzer.
Rating: R language, very violent content, some sexual references
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Janet McTeer, Judith Light and John Leguizamo
Director: Mark Mylod
Screenwriters: Seth Reiss and Will Tracy
Duration: 106 minutes
Where: In theaters November 18
Degree: B
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Movie Review: Horror-comedy 'The Menu' features food to kill for.
