A movie ripe with flavor. The Menu is a fast-paced thriller, that will have you laughing and salivating from the mouth with the delicious food put in front of your eyes. A must see
A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
How much would you pay to have the best meal of your life? Is there a price tag for such a thing? Would you pay the ultimate price, your life? These questions arise in Mark Mylod’s The Menu. A satirical look at the wealthy, the corrupt and the world’s best chefs. This movie leaves you guessing and having a hard time deciding who to root for. I would say there are no good people in The Menu, and that’s what makes the movie so engaging.
The most expensive meal you will ever eat, but when the chef tells you not to “eat,” you don’t fully understand the types of food that are about to be presented to you. Each course that tells a different story, the folks that have come to a remote island to experience something only for the select few. Little do they know; this night will change their lives forever.
Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) is at the forefront of this movie. She tags along with new beau Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) who is head over heels for world renowned Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). They are accompanied on this small boat headed for his remote gateway by finance bros, washed up actors, the usual couple and top-notch food critics. Margot isn’t who she says she is and is hiding something and she immediately notices a similar vibe when she arrives on the island. Thinking she’s about to eat this world class meal (she is), from the very get-go she is underwhelmed but not only the service, but the food put in front of her. When dinner service takes a serious turn for the worst, and the guest find out that they will eventually all die this evening, it becomes a game of survival, all while enjoying some of the best dishes the world has to offer.
The supporting cast is terrific, the financial bros, give the film a lot of the comedy, pulling out the “do you know who we are” card more than once. Thinking that money and power can just buy their way out of their current situation. This reminded me a lot of Knives Out, I know we are getting a sequel very shortly, but just the assemble cast, the dark comedy, the twist and turns. The movie can be very tense, but moments later you find yourself laughing hysterically. The movie flows really well, in a time where you find yourself at the movies for 3 hours, this was a breath of fresh air. A tight hour and forty-five minutes, that just plops you into this world and it’s a fast charged start.
Truly a hard film to discuss, because I watched a trailer month ago, and just knew from word of mouth and the cast alone that I needed to see this. So going in basically blind was a lot of fun, because I didn’t know what to expect. This is a dark comedy, no horror elements, with a splash of a thriller. Just a really fun time at the movies. The three leads really carry this thing and the back and forth between Fiennes and Taylor-Joy is sometimes pulse pounding. I have also watched countless hours of Hell’s Kitchen lately, so I was all in and seeing an intense and perfectionist Chef really just hit home for me.
This is a five-course meal with a sundae for dessert. If you like food, comedy and incredible acting, The Menu is a dish best served with some cherry coke and popcorn. Really dug it.
The Menu = 84/100
