Displaying items by tag: Benoit Magimel

THE TASTE OF THINGS/ La passion de Dodin Bouffant

France, 2023, 135 minutes, Colour.

Juliette Binoche, Benoit Magimel, Emmanuel Salinger.

Directed by Anh Hung Tran.

The title is a bit generic! But it does lead us in the way of food. Perhaps the original French title, La passion de Dodin Bouffant, which actually indicates the narrative of this story, seem too cumbersome for the English version.

Chef, menu, restaurant, gourmet, all words that lead us to France and French cuisine. And, for 135 minutes, this is a film, with extraordinary detail, about French cuisine. No idea here of just rustling something up for the evening meal!

What is immediately attractive about the presentation is that this is a period drama, an elegant 19^th century mansion, costumes and decor, a slower paced atmosphere, inviting the audience in, to become more quiet, to observe, to wonder…

In fact, for the first 30 minutes of the film, there is a detailed step-by-step preparation of a meal – an ordinary meal in this household rather than a banquet even though the dishes prepared would serve beautifully at a banquet. This is the household of Didon Bouffant who is a master chef. And he is assisted, for over 20 years, by Eugenie, obviously in love with her but her refusing his proposals. Eugenie is seen gathering the vegetables in the garden, then that half-hour in the kitchen, such preparation of each of the ingredients for the meal, the vast fire stove, the utensils, the attention given to preparing fish, meats, vegetables, sauces, precision with tastes and the time for cooking…

And, of course, beautiful desserts.  We feel we are there. And there are still more meal preparations to come. And the guests savouring the meals. And a celebration for Eugenie herself.

Obviously, this is a film for audiences who value food, who appreciate preparation and cooking, who have a discriminating sense of taste. For audiences who do not, especially with fast-food habits and taste to match, this film will be a challenge – or, perhaps, too detailed, even boring.

The film was written and directed by Vietnam-born, Ahn Hung Tran, directors of Vietnam themed films like The Scent of Green Papaya, Cyclo. The screenplay is based on a book by Marcel Roufe (1877-1936, drawing on his own experiences of that period). There had been a French movie for television of his book in 1972.

Juliette Binoche has been wonderful in films for over 30 years and brings an extraordinary charm and strength to Eugenie, an older woman, cooking her life, working with Dodin in the kitchen, supporting him in his meeting this with business associates from the area, but not wanting to sit and eat with them though she has strong friendships with them. Dodin is played by veteran actor, also charming, Benoit Magimel.

There is a pleasant subplot, the assistant cook and her younger sister helping out, and Eugenie’s discovery that the young girl is gifted with all kinds of culinary talents, and the desire for her to become an apprentice in the kitchen, her parents initially wary, but the young girl eager to learn.

And for the Romantics in the audience, the gently-pleasing relationship between Eugenie and Dodin, genteel, restrained, and his growing concern about her health.

So, what else can a reviewer say, except that the film is so beautiful to look at, the cast is charming, and the food, preparation, cooking, serving…Parfait!

1. The tone of the English title? The essence of the French title?
2. French sensibility, food, cooking, gourmet? Audience response?
3. The period, 19^th century style, pace, costumes and decor, the mansion, the interiors, the garden? The focus on the kitchen, the detail, the dining room? Eugenie’s room? The musical score and tone?
4. The situation, Dodin, his ability as a chef, cook, social status, his associates, his work in the kitchen, his hosting the dinners, his relationship with Eugenie, in love, the proposals, her refusals, the quiet intimacy between them? The Prince and his visit, the program of the eight-hour dinner? The issue of Eugenie’s health? The staff in the kitchen, the assistant, her niece, the talent, hope for the future?
5. Eugenie, age, experience, longtime cooking, the relationship with Dodin, 20 years, love, refusing the proposals? Seen in the garden picking the vegetables, her work in the kitchen, meticulous attention to detail, with the assistant, with the young girl, appreciating her talent, finalising the meals, their being served, her not joining the guests? Her quiet life, her health, her fainting, collapses, medical attention? Her death? And the final reprise of the end of the film with her being with Dodin?
6. The first 30 minutes, the meticulous preparation of the dinner, so much detail? Audience response?
7. The further work in the kitchen, Dodin and his working with Eugenie, the assistant, the approach to the parents of the young girl, their eventually bringing her, her skills, her ambitions, going to work in the kitchen?
8. The background of the director, Vietnam, his move to France, his sensibilities?
9. For audiences who love food and cooking? The impact for those who tend to be observers than experts on food?

REVOIR PARIS/PARIS MEMORIES

France, 2022, 105 minutes, Colour.

Virginie Efira, Benoit Magimel, Gregoire Colin, Maya Sansa, Amadou Mbow, Sofia Lesaffre.

Directed by Alice Winocour.

The title rather suggests nostalgia, visits to Paris, recollections… There is some truth in this but not in the way that we might have expected.

Writer-director, Alice Winocour, was affected by the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, her brother being one of the victims. This film is her tribute to those who died, those who are injured physically and psychologically and emotionally,, an expression horror at the terrorist attacks and their violence, and an exploration of the consequences of these traumatic experiences, especially in blurred memories, attempts to reconstruct the past, to deal with some feelings of guilt for surviving, but also a search, a quest, to find people who had helped others to survive.

The central character here is Mia, played by the French actress, Virginie Efira, who has been so prominent in many French films for the last decade. She plays a woman who was at the targeted restaurant, writing, aware of some of the other guests, especially Thomas (Benoit Magimal) with a group celebrating a birthday. But, then the attack, some memories of taking refuge in the toilet, others helping her, surviving in the rubble.

In the aftermath, Mia is disturbed, becomes more alienated from her partner, Vincent (Gregoire Colin), unable to relate to people, disturbs about her memories and her lack of memory.

She begins a quest to search for the truth, returning to the restaurant now repaired and functioning again, meeting a woman who is coordinating gatherings of the survivors, enabling them to talk, to ask questions, to remember – and a startling incident where one of the survivors, an older woman, suddenly bursts into an attack on Mia, accusing her of locking the toilet door and preventing others to hide in safety. (And, rather movingly, the woman calming down and apologising for her anxiety and falsely accusing Mia.). Mia also encounters Thomas who has been injured. Again, talking, support, reminiscing, trying to fill in the details of what actually happened.

But there is also the important theme of the people working at the restaurant, in the kitchen, many of them from Africa, many of them illegal immigrants, not necessarily known by name but rather by face, fleeing after the terrorist attack, even to other countries. But Mia is determined to find the man working in the kitchen who she realises protected her, saved her.

It is emotionally satisfying to share this journey and quest with Mia, the support she found in the group, especially a young girl whom she befriends, Thomas, various members of the restaurant staff that she asked to help to identify her protector and, ultimately, reuniting with him.

The terrorist attacks made headlines throughout the world. However, we need stories like this one to be aware of the consequences of the attacks, the pain of the aftermath, the need for healing.

1. The title, memories, revisiting memories, recovering memories?
2. Paris, 2015, the terrorist attacks, violence, consequences?
3. The city of Paris, familiar settings, homes and apartments, gatherings? The restaurant, the attack, the violence, subsequent restoration and meetings?
4. Memories, strong, clouded, the brain, deleting memories, blurred, the psychological needs for dealing with the violent memories?
5. The focus of the story on Mia, her family background, her work, ordinary life, relationship with Vincent? Her being at the restaurant? The visualising of the attack, the experience, her behaviour, at the table, writing, going to the toilet? The kitchen? The blur?
6. The dramatic impact of the accusations by the woman who accused her of locking herself in and preventing others to come to safety? The audience shock? Mia’s shock? The later apology?
7. Thomas, the party at the restaurant, Mia noticing him? His place in her memories? Meeting him, the hospital, his injuries? Sharing with him, discussions?
8. The group of survivors, the group, the coordinator, the gathering at the restaurant, the discussions, revelations?
9. Mia and her quest, to track down the man who helped her in the kitchen, saved her? The various inquiries, going to the restaurant, the staff, knowledge, not knowledge, the fact that he had left France? The difficulties with illegal workers? His return, the encounter with Mia, her thanks?
10. The range of survivors, the coordinator of the meetings, the young girl, her experiences, support? The kitchen staff?
11. The process of memories, facing the truth, experiencing the hurt, the experience of alienation from friends and partners, the solving of the blur, coming to some kind of healing?