Romance

Drama

La Passion de Dodin Bouffant

Curiosa Films

France 2 Cinéma

uMedia

Gaumont

Belgium

France

Français

The Taste of Things

Benoît Magimel

Juliette Binoche

Patrick d'Assumçao

Emmanuel Salinger

Jan Hammenecker

Frédéric Fisbach

Galatea Bellugi

Pierre Gagnaire

Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire

Yannik Landrein

Sarah Adler

Jean-Marc Roulot

Mhamed Arezki

Emilien Bignon

Trần Anh Hùng

Marcel Rouff

Christine de Jekel

Olivier Delbosc

Jonathan Ricquebourg

Toma Baquéni

Trần Nữ Yên Khê

Mario Battistel

Gigi Akoka

Nora Chabert

Bénédicte Trouvé

Pierre Py

Louise le Bouc Berger

Angeline Massoni

Valène Leroy

Thierry Verrier

Paul Heymans

Cédric Iland

Thomas Gauder

Valentine Kervagoret

Emilie Lecoq

Marthe Faucouit

Jules Bertier

Céline Deniard

Georges Harnack

Sophie Asse

Aline Gavroy

Thibaud Rie

Bastien Sirodot

Noa Yehonatan

Coline Hieronimus

Florian Cornet

Colin Lefebvre

Benoit Gallais

Cathy Mlakar

Florian Berthellot

Nathalie Leborgne

Olivier Thys

Axelle Rossini

Marie Pierre Delabrière

Oriane Brisson-Bertrand

Loanne Trevisan

Céleste Ougier

Cyrille Hubert

Maeva Gauthier

Stéphanie Branchu

Bruno Cellier

Xavier Jounieaux

Kevin Strauch

Yov Moor

Nell Mahé

CinemaSerf

"Dodin" (Benoît Magimel) and "Eugénie" (Juliette Binoche) have a synergy in the kitchen that creates mouthwatering and innovative culinary treats for their friends. She does the cooking, he more the design; she shuns the limelight, he is more gregarious - but it's a professional relationship that has worked well for the last two decades. It's probably fair to say that they are both a bit slow off the mark, but gradually now their relationship begins to become one of a more personal, intimate, nature but she is still uncertain. How to win her round? Well he starts to prepare delicacies to tempt both her palate and her heart. The path of truth love never runs smooth, though, and soon their dynamic is facing a testing time that will likely see unwelcome change for all concerned. What I actually liked about this film is that there's not a great deal of dialogue. It looks great and the two actors genuinely convince as they prepare their gourmet dishes using ingredients and techniques that are way more fascinating than the unfolding drama between their characters. You can almost smell the food! It also doesn't shy away from some of the culinary curiosities of rustic French cuisine, so be prepared for a few dishes that might not do for your appetite what they do for those on screen, but by two hours in I found myself genuinely invested in what I was watching - and very glad I'd eaten first. Cooking is an art form; so is good cinema - we get both here in abundance.

Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots

“The Taste of Things” is a romantic drama that’s also a historically accurate period film about food. Set in 1885, this is a slow moving love letter to the art and style of French cuisine, and director Anh Hung Tran takes great pleasure in his celebration and joy of all things gastronomy.

Famous restaurant owner Dodin Bouffant (Benoît Magimel) has relied on his esteemed personal cook Eugénie (Juliette Binoche) for over two decades, admiring her natural culinary talents and creating inspired dishes alongside her in his palatial home’s kitchen. Since the pair have spent so much time together sharing the same stove and an unyielding passion for food, they’ve grown quite fond of each other. The feelings that have developed between Dodin and Eugénie are a bit complicated, and his marriage proposals have always been quickly dismissed by the freedom-loving woman who has no intention of any sort of romantic commitment. But as they grow older, Eugenie may be finally warming up to the idea.

It’s a sparse and simple love story that’s mostly about food. The first twenty minutes of the film show nothing but the characters cooking and preparing dishes in the kitchen. There’s no musical score, just the sounds of a kitchen like the sizzle of a sear, the rattle of an iron skillet, the bubbling of boiling water, and the rhythmic chop of a knife. This is a film that’s comprised mainly of cooking and eating scenes, aimed at foodies who will inherently have a greater tolerance for watching a repetitive cycle of cook-eat-savor-repeat. It’s not boring, but it does feel indulgent.

As would be expected in a film about cuisine, the food is drop-dead gorgeous. The culinary artistry and food photography is gorgeous and mouthwatering, and everything from the saucing to plating is done with a beauty and precision that honors traditional techniques. The characters cook everything from the fanciest to the most simple dishes, which drives home the idea that these aren’t food snobs, but true connoisseurs.

The casting is spot-on, and it’s delightful to see a story that seamlessly blends the romance between food and people that features more mature actors. Binoche and Magimel make a charming and believable pair, and you’ll hope they do finally end up together in marriage.

“The Taste of Things” is lovely, but in order to get the most satisfaction and enjoyment from the film, it helps to have a love and appreciation for food that runs deeper than the average person.

By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

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The Taste of Things

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Cast

Benoît Magimel

Juliette Binoche

Patrick d'Assumçao

Emmanuel Salinger

Jan Hammenecker

Frédéric Fisbach

Galatea Bellugi

Pierre Gagnaire

Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire

Yannik Landrein

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