Chef - A ‘feel-good’ film for adults

‘Chef.’ I only watched it because I used the film as a ‘filler’ on my online rental list.  However, after viewing it, I’m glad I did.  For a long film, it passes by pretty well.  Not that it’s anything that original.  It’s a pretty standard tale of loss and redemption.  A cranky – yet strangely lovable – chef loses his job in a restaurant and has to go it alone in a ‘mobile food wagon’ (while naturally trying to win back his estranged family).

If you’ve ever seen ANY film before, you’ll probably be able to guess the story from A to B.  However, just because it’s predictable doesn’t mean it isn’t worth watching.  Yes, (the always on form) Robert Downey Jr is in it and obviously he’s the biggest name attached to the project, but it’s not really ‘his’ film.  Jon Favreau is what holds it all together.  Despite being a little loud and a little obnoxious, he always seems to have his heart on show, making quite a believable hero to root for.

There are plenty of other big and semi-big names in the film, but it’s Favreau who makes it worth watching.  It’s not always funny and not always dramatic – just a gentle vibe which falls somewhere between the two.  It’s a nice movie to sit and relax with – as long as you don’t mind the bad language!

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that