Christianity Today

Review by Jeffrey Overstreet | posted 06/29/07

Buy this poster Ratatouille Rated G Genre:Animated / Family / Comedy Theater release: June 29, 2007 by Disney/Pixar Directed by: Brad Bird Runtime: 110 minutes Cast: Patton Oswalt (Remy), Ian Holm (Skinner), Lou Romano (Linguini), Brian Dennehy (Django), Peter Sohn (Emile), Peter O'Toole (Anton Ego), Brad Garrett (Auguste Gusteau), Janeane Garofalo (Colette), Will Arnett (Horst) Related: • Talk About It/Family Corner • What Others Are Saying

Attention, parents, kids, anybody who appreciates good movies and great food! Ratatouille is a feast so fantastic you'll go running back for seconds. And if you pay close attention, you'll also see that it's a film that tells two great stories at the same time.

The first story is what you'll see on the big screen. And the second—at least the way I see it—is a more subtle, almost allegorical re-telling of what really happened to one of the 20th century's most-loved and enduring pop culture icons …. Walt Disney himself.

Once upon a time, there was an adventurous French chef named Auguste Gusteau (think Walt Disney) whose Paris kitchen (think Disney studios) was famous for awe-inspiring cuisine (Disney's classic animated features, like Pinocchio).

Gusteau knew his strengths and focused on them, serving up heaping plates of excellence to the delight of the customers at his self-titled restaurant. Gusteau's and its namesake became legendary worldwide.

The ghost of Gusteau gives Remy some culinary pointers

But then, for one reason or another, the quality of his work began to falter. He died, and his successors (think …. Michael Eisner?) sold out, stamping the Gusteau (Disney) name on all manner of mediocrity. The master's face and name eventually flew like a banner over mediocre microwave meals (frivolous features like Pocahontas, and disposable straight-to-video sequels to Disney classics). And eventually his name represented fare that seemed completely unrelated to his legacy (The Muppets?).

And while the masses seemed content to choke down anything contained in a Gusteau can (or released on a Disney label), it looked like Gusteau's name would become synonymous with trash.

Enter Remy, a little rat with a nose for excellence and a passion for cooking. (Enter director Brad Bird, the brilliant storyteller and filmmaker behind The Iron Giant and The Incredibles.)

Remy would never, in normal circumstances, be allowed into the great Gusteau's kitchen. He's a rat after all, likely to be exterminated before his extraordinary talent wins the attention it deserves. (Bird's Iron Giant was badly botched by Warner Brothers, who didn't know that they had a classic on their hands. Thus it never got the box office it deserved.)

But then, Remy meets Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano), a gawky, insecure fellow who works as the kitchen garbage boy. He couldn't cook a microwave dinner if he tried. And yet, when Remy climbs beneath Linguini's chef hat and begins to direct Linguini around the kitchen by pulling on his hair—presto! Or should I say, Pesto?

Can a little guy with a big imagination step into that famous kitchen and restore it to its former glory? Yes. (And yes!)

Linguini meets Remy for the first time

With Remy's creative genius and Linguini's access to the pots, pans, and ingredients, a new Gusteau masterpiece is just a matter of time. (In the same way, Pixar's powerful chemistry has produced a string of masterpieces …. delivered with the Disney label: A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Cars.)

The story then begins to resemble the Coen Brothers' Hudsucker Proxy. By underestimating a simpleton who works at the lowest level, Skinner the wicked franchise-master (voiced brilliantly by Ian "Bilbo Baggins" Holm) unwittingly jeopardizes his moneymaking empire.

When the simpleton serves up a super soup, it seems that the Paris spotlight just might shine on Gusteau's again. It all depends on the reaction of the city's most demanding food critic, Anton Ego, who looks down his nose at almost everything. And with his nose, that's a very long way indeed.

While it seems inappropriate to equate Brad Bird with a rat, Ratatouille clearly reflects what has happened since Pixar arrived in the Disney kitchen (for more details, see this book and/or this). It isn't just the audience that has responded with enthusiasm. The critics—snobs, crowdpleasers, egomaniacs, and experts of all stripes—have lavished Pixar's productions with rave reviews.

But whatever you make of the subtext, you're likely to agree with the hard-to-please critics who embrace this dazzling—dare I say profound?—motion picture. No matter your age, you'll probably find Ratatouille both satisfying and nourishing. In fact, it may be the first Pixar production more likely to win fans among adults than children. (At 111 minutes, it may test some toddlers' patience.)

It wouldn't be Paris without romance, and Linguini has his eyes on Colette

A few words about animation: Just when you think that Pixar has set an unsurpassable standard (Finding Nemo, The Incredibles), they astonish us with new innovations.

The most impressive aspect of Ratatouille's animation is its depth and color. When the Almighty sees the glory of a Paris sunrise in this movie, he might just give Pixar the controls for real-world artistry. The dark, reflective surface of the rushing stream that washes Remy away from his family of thieving rodents proves that even the gutter can be beautiful through the eyes of an artist.

Even more surprising is Pixar's continuing progress in creating animated human beings. Ratatouille introduces two outrageous cartoon personalities—Skinner the diminutive head chef, and Anton Ego, the stilt-legged restaurant critic whose attitude fits his name (voiced with grandiose contempt by Peter O'Toole). Both of them command our attention even more powerfully than the fuzzy little critters. Ego, with his magisterial condescension and Nosferatu posture, deserves a place in the Disney villain hall of fame alongside Cruella de Vil and Captain Hook.

But Linguini (Lou Romano) is the main event. He's the most reluctant of Disney heroes since The Rescuers' Bernard, but what he lacks in personality he more than makes up for in choreography. Cooking up a storm, Linguini flails about the kitchen like a marionette in the hands of a particularly animated (pun certainly intended) puppeteer. Remember when Steve Martin was possessed by Lily Tomlin's ghost in All of Me? You get the picture.

It wouldn't be Paris without romance, and this stew is spiced with the help of a beautiful, hard-working chef named Colette Tautou (Janeane Garofalo), who laments the difficulty of being a woman in the dog-eat-dog restaurant industry.

Skinner, the wicked franchise-master, doesn't know the meaning of good food

And as you watch Colette and Linguini work, you'll be enthralled by the animators' attention to detail. These kitchens bustle in a way that shows the animators' research in some first-rate kitchens. Ratatouille is probably the first animated feature to deserve inclusion on the list of great "foodie" films, alongside Babette's Feast, Mostly Martha, Big Night, Like Water for Chocolate, Sideways, and Eat Drink Man Woman. Fine restaurants located alongside movie theaters are about to experience a boost in their business.

Enough about animation: Any movie helmed by Brad Bird is just as much a feat of storytelling as it is a triumph of animation. And Ratatouille is no exception.

From Cinderella to An American Tail, we've seen a lot of rodents on the big screen. (Watch for one clear visual nod of acknowledgement to Don Bluth's The Secret of NIMH.) But Remy, voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt, is remarkable. Where most famous rodents are merely clever, Remy has a passion for culinary creativity.

As Remy tries to save his fellow rats from the humiliation of swallowing trash, he discovers what so many art lovers already know: It's hard to teach good taste. To steal a phrase from Franky Schaeffer, this fast-food nation is addicted to mediocrity. As we content ourselves on junk food, avoiding the opportunity to experience new things and discover delicious, nourishing fare, we also demonstrate our lack of discernment in what we choose to watch on television, order from iTunes, or see at the movies. Excellence matters, says Remy. And he tries to awaken his friends to a new world of flavor. As he does, savory sensations are illustrated brilliantly through abstract explosions of color.

There is so much to enjoy and celebrate here, Ratatouille deserves more than a review: it could (and probably will) inspire books about creativity and good taste. First and foremost, it's a story about claiming your passion, and pursuing it with excellence, whether you make big bucks or not. Children and grownups alike will learn the joy of adventurous taste—not just in the kitchen, but in art.

And as it urges us toward an appreciation of excellence, it also gives snobs a roundhouse kick to the palate. In the film's closing act, the storytellers dare to address the role of the critic in society. They remind us that, while we should certainly set our standards high and muster the guts to call garbage what it is, we should also remember that criticism must come from a place of love and passion, not cynicism, arrogance, or condescension. We should recognize greatness, originality, and vision wherever we find it—whether it's from an unknown Ukrainian director at the Venice Film Festival, or from an American storyteller inside Disney studios. It's an ambitious subject for an animated feature. Handled with such grace and insight, it raises Ratatouille to greatness.

So go ahead, serve yourself a heaping plate of Ratatouille, which is likely to be remembered as 2007's summer moviegoing peak. It'll be hard for some to admit, but thanks to this Parisian fairy tale, Walt Disney Studios is once again the premiere filmmaking kitchen in America. Like those diners who swoon at the aroma wafting from Remy's restaurant, moviegoers will keep coming back for seconds, and thirds, so long as Brad Bird is in the kitchen.

 Gummies dumped by Kroger

Amazon review by Grigory's Girl

I think this film is a tad overrated, but it's negatives are with the story and dialogue primarily. I still enjoyed the film very much. I've always liked most of what Pixar has done... and this film is a good addition to their catalogue.

There were a few problems, though. I felt there was too much expository information, especially at the beginning. Much of the dialogue (and situations) were very predictable, including the usual "the French are rude" stuff. I didn't buy the romance between Colette and Linguini. It felt forced, and didn't seem like it would really happen, in movie life or in real life. The repartee between the rats seemed forced, too.

On the good side, the film is visually immaculate. Brad Bird does a tremendous job here, and he has a great sense of composition. I wish I had seen it in a theater. The animation is positively gorgeous.

The voices are very well done for the most part, and my favorite characters are Peter O'Toole's Anton Ego (great name) the critic, and Gusteau, voiced by Brad Garrett.

Many made hay of Janeane Garofalo's French accent for Colette, but I feel Garrett's is much, much better. Garofalo's accent, while good, had a few dropouts here and there where her real voice came through. This is not entirely her fault, as they changed her character to one with a French accent late in the production, and she did the best she could on such short notice. Many were surprised that Garofalo managed to do an accent pretty well. I'm not. I've always believed in her talent.

Patton Oswalt (best known for his recurring role in "The King of Queens" and one of the funnier standup comedians today) is fine as Remy, the rat who can cook. The film has a real nice wrap up too, incorporating Gusteau's phrase that "anyone can cook", and Peter O'Toole's final speech in the film is surprisingly moving and stirring.

People should definitely rent this film. It's not perfect, but it is still head and shoulders above most dreck at theaters these days....

Not biting the hand that feeds her

During her stint on "The Majority Report," Janeane Garofalo used to rail against corporate weasels, but that didn't preclude her from going on to work for corporate rodents as long as she got her cheddar, no matter how smelly the provenance. Bangladeshi seamstresses receive $1.25 a day for embroidering Disney t-shirts (The Washington Post). No word on how much Garofalo got paid a day for her voice work on "Ratatouille" or Disney/Pixar big cheese Steve "People think I'm an asshole, don't they?" Jobs.

Short stuff

Janeane Garofalo wins an Oscar

Well, kinda, sorta:

LOS ANGELES - Mickey Mouse has a rival as Hollywood's favorite rodent: The rat tale "Ratatouille" was named best animated film at Sunday's Academy Awards, the second Oscar win in the category for director Brad Bird.

Bird thanked his junior-high guidance counselor, who expressed repeated skepticism over his desire to become a filmmaker.

"It went on like this until we were sick of each other," said Bird, who also won the animation Oscar for 2004's "The Incredibles" and shared a nomination for original screenplay for "Ratatouille," a $200 million blockbuster. "I only realized just recently that he gave me the perfect training for the movie business."

`Ratatouille' leads animation nominees

"Ratatouille," from Disney and Pixar Animation, was joined in the best animated feature category by DreamWorks' insect story "Bee Movie," Sony Pictures' penguin romp "Surf's Up," Sony Pictures Classics' coming-of-age chronicle "Persepolis" and 20th Century Fox's "The Simpsons Movie," a big-screen take on the TV cartoon hit.

Presented by the International Animated Film Society, Annie Award winners in 25 film and TV categories will be announced at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Feb. 8.

More

Highest grossing film in France

The animated film, "Ratatouille," about a rodent who dreams of becoming a French chef, has become the highest grossing film of 2007 in France.

The film sold more than $60 million in tickets, placing it at no. 1 at the French box office for six weeks, beating the record set by "Titantic."

...the fawning reviews of the film -- Le Monde declared it "one of the great gastronomic films in the history of cinema" -- suggests that Disney, at least for now, is no longer a public enemy [in France].

-- New York Times, October 22, 2007

Recipe for vegetarian ratatouille

This takes time to prepare, but is well worth it. It's good hot or col. Rolled up in crepes or yuba, it's a good dinner dish.

1 small eggplant

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp. flour

salt and pepper

4 tomatoes, chopped

2 small zucchini

1 medium onion, sliced

1/2 cup parsley

2 cloves garlic

1 green pepper

Peel eggplant, slice 1/4" thick. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt, cover and weight down. Let stand for 30 minutes, prepare other veggies. Drain eggplant, dry on towel, cut slices into quarters. Flour the eggplant pieces. Heat half the oil, fry the eggplant and remove. Add remaining oil to pan, fry garlic, onions and peppers until softened. Place tomatoes on top of onions, cover pan, cook 5 minutes more without cover. Stir in minced parsley.

Arrange a layer of tomato mixture on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole. Cover with a layer of sliced zucchini and half the eggplant. Put half the rest of tomatoes on, then remaining eggplant and rest of zucchini. Finish with layer of tomatoes. Bake about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

-- The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook 

Making the Grade: Yahoo Users Top Rated Animated Films

Making the Grade: Yahoo Users Top Rated Animated Films photos on Yahoo! Summer Movie Guide

With Kung Fu Pand bursting on to the silver screen this weekend and WALL-E rolling out a few weeks later, we’ve compiled the ratings from Yahoo! users -- 1.2 million grades all together -- to rank the top 30 animated films of all time.