Julie & Julia

Julie & Julia

“I was drowning and she pulled me out of the ocean.”

The above quote from the movie wasn’t my favorite. Unfortunately, my first choice would’ve forced me to put a content warning on my page and…well…let’s keep this blog PG, shall we? However, if you go see the movie, keep your ears open when Julia’s makin’ the manicotti.

I read Julie Powell’s book three or four years ago and loved it. At the time, Julie was an almost 30 year old bored secretary who admittedly had never finished anything in her life and was looking for a sense of purpose. On a whim, she decides to cook through Julia Child’s entire Mastering the Art of French Cooking book…within a year. Not only does she challenge herself to cook all 524 recipes, she pledges to write about the experience in her blog Every. Single. Day. We’re not talkin’ Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals here; we’re talkin’ 2 hour stews, live lobsters and de-boned ducks. Every. Single. Day. Impressive, no?

The attention gained from her blog turned into a book deal and the book deal turned into a movie…starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. Seriously, who does that happen to? Oh, Julie Powell, you are one lucky de-boned duck, for sure!

So, I read the book about Julie’s experience, loving every minute of it. I could relate to her feelings of inadequacy, lack of fulfillment and search for a sense of purpose. And while, you’ll never catch me cooking a live lobster—Lobster Killer—I, too, love to cook….and write. I didn’t want the book to end, so I was thrilled when I found out there would be a movie based on it.

Good fortune (and my good friend, Kristie…thank-you, Kristie!!) allowed me to see the movie (which opens August 7^th) this past Thursday. It didn’t disappoint. Julie’s experience was as charming on the big screen as it was in book form and I think there was even more Julia in the movie. Bonus!

Two women. Two lives. Two stories. One movie. Though, I shed a tear or two (don’t I always?), I spent the majority of the 2 hour movie smiling. Passion. I love a story about passion. Not of the Harlequin Romance variety, but of living a life with passion…wherever that passion may lie. Julia’s passion was food. Julie’s passion was Julia. One was as refreshing as the other…living parallel lives, if miles and decades apart.

While Meryl Streep’s imitation of Julia Child was slightly over the top, I think she truly channeled Child’s spirit. Stanley Tucci was adorable as her devoted husband, proving you don’t have to look the part to be a heartthrob. If I’ve seen a picture of Julie Powell, I don’t remember it, but Amy Adams portrayed her exactly as I imagine her to be, flaws and all. Chris Messina played Julie’s husband, Eric; table manners aside, he was a gem as well. Then, there’s Jane Lynch. Oh my goodness, I love me some Jane Lynch. That woman has some sort of gift. I don’t care what movie it is or what role she’s playing in it…if she walks on-screen, she’s stealing the scene. In this movie she plays Julia Child’s sister, Dorothy…impeccably…in my humble opinion. Nevermind that I’ve never seen, heard or even read about Dorothy McWilliams. I heart Jane Lynch!

Good news so far, huh? Now for the bad…

I rarely read the critics’ reviews of a movie before I see it, I don’t want anyone else’s opinion to interfere with my own. For the same reason, I don’t usually read anyone else’s opinion of a movie before I write about it. But, in this case, I couldn’t wait to see if the masses were loving Julie & Julia as much as I did. So, I browsed my online community of movie lovers to see what they were saying and was just a little bummed that some people aren’t showin’ the love. I know that opinions are just that and an opinion is rarely uncontested. But, I loved this movie and I was hoping everyone else would love it, too. Many did, many didn’t. Like it or not, I can only guess that each of our personal experiences will encourage us either way.

With that said, I found Julie & Julia charming, exciting and enlightening. Bottom line: Go see it…but, don’t go hungry!!