Rapid Review: “Chef”

 

There are a plethora of puns that are to be said about Jon Favreau’s latest effort “Chef” so we will just get them out of the way. This is the tastiest comedy of the spring, that’s sharp as a chef’s knife and will stick the frying pan, long after you leave the theater stuffed from this satisfying entree. 

“Chef”  follows Carl Casper (Favreau) who prides himself as an artist first, chef second. He has fallen complacent in his work and is being stifled creatively by his owner Riva, (Dustin Hoffman) this comes to a head when a renowned food critic blasts his cooking and subsequently loses his job due to a ferociously funny twitter war. Down and out Casper pieces his life together by hitting the road on a food truck. 

Favreau’s film is incredibly personal and is perhaps and allegory for his relationship with the Hollywood tentpole system that saw him rise (Iron Man) and fall(Cowboys & Aliens) as blockbuster director. He is now back to his “roots” so speak, you can feel the passion in his this film as it beams from each frame. 

The Columbian beauty Sofia Vergara is finally given a role where she is more than just a pair of legs as Casper’s ex-wife Inez. Aside from Favreau’s performance the show stealer of the film is Emjay Anthony who plays the precocious son, their relationship is one of the most thoughtful dynamics of any film this year. Extended cameo’s are given to Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, John Leguizamo and Robert Downney Jr. who mainly just shows his face for fan service. 

Despite it’s R-rating “Chef” has enough (last one) ingredients for the entire family.