Julie and Julia

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Plot:

Julie and Julia is the story of struggling writer Julie Powell who starts a blog about her life. Julie (Amy Adams) is trying to get her life in order by blogging about cooking every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. In parallel, the movie tells the story of Julia Child (Meryl Streep) learning French cooking, teaching French cooking, writing the cookbook, and getting it published. The film contrasts Julie and Julia's husbands and romances.

Review: Julie and Julia is a fluffy sweet confection which is so positive & likeable that I have to recommend the movie. Amy Adams' character seems so sisterly and so girl-next-door so that I feel like I know her from somewhere. Meryl Streep's Julia Child is so lively and dynamic that even watching her chop onions is fun. The dialog by director Nora Ephron gives us a look into the character's lives that keeps the uneventful plot interesting.

I always like Stanley Tucci. Amy Adams should get an Oscar nomination. Meryl is fun, but there is some overacting.

Cast: Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Chis Messina

Crew: directed & screenplay by Nora Ephron; based on the book Julia and Julie My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell; Julie's real life blog is here. Her Salon blog about the Julia/Julie project is here.

Rating: 3.0 flasks

More: Best feel-good movie of the Summer

Even more: An old demographic at the theater-- almost as old as Whatever Works

Doubt

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Plot Doubt is the story of child abuse in a Catholic school told from the point of view of the school nuns. More than that it is a character study of Sister Aloysius, (Meryl Streep) who is the school principal in her battle to drive the abusing priest from her school. She has a steely manner, but is so limited by the subservient role of women in the 1960's era Church. The priest (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is abusing a black student, and the young teaching nun, Sister James (Amy Adams,) does not know what to do.

There is a subplot concerning the doubt of the innocence of the priest and it is paired with the doubt in the faith of the church. Sister James believes in God and maybe somewhat happier. Sister Aloysius doubts the faithfulness of Father Flynn and also God.

Review: The movie is about a straight-forward story of protecting boys from abuse, but it is so well done, and the women are so courageous, that the story is consistently gripping and outstanding. The nuns that run the school are feared by the students, but are nearly powerless to protect the students against the priests. There is a powerful scene with the boy's Mom, that you will talk about after the movie. Meryl Streep gives restrained and powerful performance. Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives a nuanced performance as the perpetrator, who is portrayed as a failed, but honorable man.

This is a simple, powerful movie. Clearly the best of the 2008.

Cast and crew:
Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams; written and directed by John Patrick Shanley

Rating
4.0


More
As good as Juno; superior to Wall*E