Helen Mirren in “Madame Mallory and the smell of curry”: Quite something nice – Tagesspiegel

10:38 clock Bernd Matthies

The Story of Lasse Hallstrom’s new film “Madame Mallory and the smell of curry” reads like a déjà vu of the kitchen screenplays – and yet wonderful Hollywood actresses movies. Thanks a virtuoso Helen Mirren.

Richard Morais’ debut novel “The Hundred-Foot Journey” was a worldwide success. It’s all about food and love to India and France and an aristocratic restaurant owner who freed the sudden impact of life from her stupor – all components that like to pull a film by himself. For the idea of ​​Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey have warmed as producer and directed by genre specialist Lasse Hallström (“Chocolat”), starring Helen Mirren. Unfortunately, the German rental instead of the laconic precision original title “Madame Mallory and the smell of curry” has Turned and vaguely attached to the title of Kitsch bestsellers.

But somehow it fits yet. Because the film may be stock conventional – and yet wonderful Hollywood actresses movies

The story reads like a déjà vu of the kitchen screenplays of “Ratatouille” to “Bella Martha” plus Clash of Cultures -. Than Whether they are the US-remake of a small and successful European film. The young, inspired, instinct cooking Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is sold under violent circumstances from the restaurant the family in Bombay. He lands in the deepest southern French province, where his father, upright stubborn played by the Bollywood super-father Om Puri, directly across from the classic French star restaurant of Madame Mallory, the “Maison Mumbai” opened. Despite the usual local resistances, despite suppliers boycott and arson established the young chef his fine curry kitchen, wins the heart of the beautiful Sous-chef of over (Charlotte Le Bon), convinced Madame Mallory of his ability and change even the road side – the long hundred- foot-travel, alluded to the original title. Soon the magic of the Michelin star begins to act, Hassan sets out a fabulous culinary ascent, falling into the inevitable crisis. And if they are not dead …

Helen Mirren makes the film her film

That one almost anticipating all the twists and turns of the story, does not change its intensity. The dialogues in the original alternating between French and English, with Indian sprinkling, are trenchant and witty, the decor is opulent dedicated to detail and hardly a kitchen film the food itself so sensual and detailed joyfully, without it would look like after cooking show or commercial. And of course Helen Mirren makes the film her film. The conversion of the jealous bitch for empathic patroness she copes with such virtuosity, as well as the last Queen embodied in their mental prison. In a key scene she is seen only from behind – and only a slight tightening of the upper body and a simple stretch up the neck make their rapture over an omelet significantly

the script goes clichés -. Herein the cold, uprooted Parisian avant-garde, where the warm rural tradition kitchen – no way out of the way. But the contrast is exaggerated not denunciatory, and even the particular kitchen stylistics is entirely on the amount of time. An Indian restaurant as the “Maison Mumbai” very close? That would be fine.

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