(From syracusenewtimes.com)
A lot can happen in 100 feet.
Just look at the characters in “The Hundred-Foot Journey.”
Thanks to great acting by Helen Mirren and Om Puri, and very good acting by Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon, food movie fans can see good taste, tension, customs, passion, cultures, relations, recipes, Michelin stars and love.
It’s a pretty busy two hours in France, yes it is, this movie produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey.
And yes, there is room for more than one good movie a year with food as a major element, it appears. It doesn’t push “Chef” off the center burner, but it does make its way onto the range.
The 100 feet in the title is the space between the traditional French restaurant owned by Madame Mallory, played by star Mirren, and the new Indian place purchased and opened by the family steered to the town by patriarch Papa, played by Puri. Dayal and Le Bon are his son and her sous chef, and they get involved in their own way. Good things can result from tension.
If you’d like to read my weekly film review blog installment on the Syracuse New Times site, click the link below.
http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/the-hundred-foot-journey/
There’s a French restaurant across the street from an Indian restaurant. Which do you choose, and what do you order? What’s your favorite role by Helen Mirren, and why? What’s your favorite project from Steven Spielberg or Oprah Winfrey, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
The last good food movie I saw was “Julie & Julia.” I loved it. Mark, you made “The Hundred Foot Journey” sound equally tantalizing.
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I did like J&J, too, J. This one, a bit better, even. what with Dame J.
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This one’s on my list too!! I didn’t get to the movies this past weekend. 😦 The trailer reminds me of the movie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which I absolutely adore! It’s got the same feel to it.
I couldn’t possibly choose one favorite movie of Helen’s! She is brilliant in all. Would I choose a French or Indian restaurant? I would choose both. Right after the other because I love food. hee,hee. 🙂
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Yeah, you were kind of busy last weekend not dying. Good thing. And both is a great choice, foodie!
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Can’t imagine Helen Mirren in anything not worth seeing!
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So true, Kay.
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Thank you for this recommendation, Mark. ⭐
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I hope it pans out for you, too, Karen! Enjoy.
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That sounds like a good movie. Unfortunately when that happens for real, I keep on walking down the block to the Italian or Mexican restaurant and either get some lasagna or tacos. 🙂
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I would pick Italian or Mexican first, too, Rachel. I have to admit.
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Good. Then when we’re neighbors, I won’t have to eat alone. 🙂
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My foodie heart wants to see this film! Thanks for the review, Mark. Hmmm…I would choose the French restaurant because I’m currently on a quest for simple elegance in general 🙂
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Angie McFly, the French place was way more elegant, and the Indian place was way more noisy. I’ll leave it at that! Yay, Angie McFly is back!
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I have an addendum. I would go for French during the week and fire it up to Indian on the weekend 🙂 How’s that for wanting it all?!
My McAnkle healed up well after a bad sprain NOT earned while running. Maybe I’ll write a post about my post injury pity party 😉
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French food for sure, Chum. I shall see the movie, too.
Helen made a fine Queen, I thought. Spielberg. .ET. Oprah? Oprah who….sorry. 😦
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Oh, Aud, you are a fine one. Fine and dandy. 🙂
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Thanks for the insightful review, Mark–I’m anxious to see the movie (and read the book.) Chef was terrific but there’s always room for another quality food flick! 🙂
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I liked that the older generation actors packed the heat as well s the younger generation, Ermi. Solid film all the way around. Tell me what you think after you see it.
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I had no idea what this movie was about until your blog. I had caught the title in commercials or something and was intrigued by that alone. Now, because of you, I want to watch it. 🙂
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They are so different yet so alike. Great topic, Colleen. You’ll get into it, I’m pretty sure, my friend.
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I meant ‘role’ not ‘roll!’ smiles!
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If someone were paying, I would choose French food, enjoying and savoring this treat! Oh, Mark, my favorite tongue in cheek roll for Helen M. are the Reds movies, where she is an assassin. Quite ‘sexy’ too. Then I enjoyed her in “The Debt” and her roll as an insufferable wife to “Hitchcock.” They end up happily, but there are times in the role as wife, she is not happy. She did a fine job, in “The Queen” role, too.
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I think Helen Mirren is sexy as she wants to be, Robin! I did love her in “Reds,” for sure, and as the Hitchcock wife. She’s so versatile.
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I choose Indian and I order an assortment of vegetarian dishes with naan. Always naan. Since spying the infamous Helen Mirren in red bikini photograph in the tabloids, I’ve been in a depression. You have seen it, haven’t you, Mark? The woman is amazing!!
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I missed Helen in the red bikini, Barbara, but that she could pull that off is no surprise at all. Enjoy your naan meal to the utmost, my friend! I have sampled Indian, though it is not one of my frequent choices.
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I am so excited to watch this movie, so glad that you gave it a male’s review in favor of it! I value your opinion, Mark. I think this will be Oscar material, just from the write-up’s I have seen, Mark. I am glad you told me Helen Mirren is playing a French woman, I did not know this. I assumed she was playing a Brit, who had studied French cooking… Need to stop assuming, huh?! Smiles!
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Helen can do any nationality she wishes, Robin! Enjoy this one to the max, my friend.
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I’m so glad you do movie reviews! I was wondering about this film and am happy to hear it’s a good one. I love, love, love Helen Mirren, so it’s hard to choose which role I’ve loved her best in. I also how she’s growing old gracefully in Hollywood, while still being a sexy gal! I love the movie ET and miss the Oprah show on TV. Jeez – you’ve brought up a lot of emotion! 🙂
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I’m glad I struck some good chords with you all the way around, my friend. I think you should go see this one on the big screen. The French countryside is gorgeous, and there are some Parisian shots that are tremendous, too, CBXB.
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i really have wanted to see this one mark, your ‘simmer the stew’ comment is perfect. i love hm, especially in her roles as royalty. to me, she is like the british version of meryl streep. classy, intelligent, believable and full of grace.
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Wait until you see how she handles this one, Beth, transitioning from totally hard to just mellow enough. Enjoy HM’s class, and her male counterpart is a wonder, a true find.
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I’m sure I would choose Indian food, although I could be persuaded to go the other way. I’m indecisive like that.
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Indian one night, French the next. Good to me, Amy!
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Sounds like a fun movie! Might have to go and see this one…
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You should, Ali. The French countryside and Paris shots are gorgeous!
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