'Julie & Julia' Review

Amy Adams as Julie Powell

Meryl Streep as Julia Child. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/julie-and-julia/26129/main

>>>>If Meryl Streep isn't our finest American actress working today, then who is? Perhaps Glenn Close who I've seen twice on Broadway. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing Streep on stage but watching her give her usual excellent performances in films is an acceptable tradeoff. How does Streep do this time portraying a real person in Julie & Julia? Marvelous!... as expected.
>>>>This movie is two movies in one. The first one concerns how Julia Child became the French Chef of cookbook and TV fame; the second is about how Julie Powell an admirer tried to cook every recipe in Child's cookbook within a year and blogged about it which later lead to turning her experience into a book. These two plots are intertwined into a light, tasty, and satisfying pastry pleasing to the palate. After gazing on all the food shown, you'll leave the theater searching for a restaurant.
>>>>Streep nails down Child's mannerisms and voice and with her makeup job is as close as seeing the real Julia. She's funny, self-deprecating, and determined to succeed as a chef. Stanley Tucci who was so good with her in The Devil Wears Prada again offers great support as her loving, patient, and encouraging husband Paul. Amy Adams is fine as the determined Julie also ably aided by her husband Eric played by Chris Messina. Eric is younger than Paul and sometimes lacks Paul's reserve and maturity in handling crises but both husbands in his own way offer good support for their wives' plans.
>>>>There's plenty of French and New York contrasting scenes from the late 1940's to 2002 to help keep the stories separated. The filmmakers wisely show Dan Ackroyd's SNL gory parody of Child cutting herself since younger viewers might only know her from that skit and not her TV show. I used to watch her PBS show but never attempted to try one of her recipes. Now I can never watch a rerun of Child's show without seeing Streep's face superimposed on her towing figure. There's plenty of light humor to keep the story going while you feast your eyes on the variety of food presented. Bon Appetite!