In some ways this is a luxurious French cooking show. There’s more time spent showing the preparation of elaborate meals than anything else. The primary characters are the cook (Juliette Binoche) and the gourmet (BenoĆ®t Magimel) who create the dishes together, but also have a gentle love affair. Anyone who’s into the epicurean world will delight in the continual kitchen adventures, while their relationship gives the film a taste of tenderness. The other scenes revolve around his 3 friends, who do nothing but talk about and eat fabulous food. In an interesting parallel, the actors met 20 years ago and lived together for 5 years. They were basically estranged, but reunited for this film. Their unique bond shines through to give the picture its heart. Even though watching food preparation for more than 2 hours could be dull, Anh Hung Tran’s restrained direction parallels the mature intimacy of the leads, while relishing the delicious results. (French with subtitles) 
(3.5 / 5)