[Review]The Taste of Things

La passion de Dodin Bouffant / The Taste of Things / Şeflerin Aşkı

The movie France nominated for Oscar instead of The Anatomy of A Fall...

This week, I watched ”The Taste of Things” by the Vietnamese-French director Tràn Anh Hùn.

It was sooo French.

At first, I thought we would watch the leads cooking for the entire movie. Fortunately, it lasted only (:)) 15 minutes. Well, there is a lot to talk about! Let me start with giving you a general idea about the plot (my least favorite part about writing a review, because you can always check it out online :D) The plot follows Dodin, who lives in a castle with his cook, Eugénie. They share a deep passion for cooking. It seems like they share more than that, although she has turned down his marriage proposals several times.

Visually, the film is stunning. The wide kitchen bathed in natural light, especially during the golden hour, was simply beautiful. The cooking scenes were like a dance, smooth and without chaos, even though a lot was happening. I loved the subtle sound design—no overpowering music, just the sizzling meat and boiling water. The leads’ passion for the cooking were felt even through the screen. There is a reason why it was called The Passion of Dodin in French. The movie shows how they enjoy cooking and eating the food delicately.

I loved how food turns into a way to express oneself. Dodin’s guest go down to the kitchen to compliment Eugénie and to invite her to the table. She answers by saying that she already is in touch with them through the food she prepared. Dodin asks how Eugénie keeps being perseverant and patient even after spending 20 years together and cooking. She answers quoting St Augustine:

“Happiness is continuing to desire what we already have.”

The film also touches on how food can be political, especially in a scene involving an elaborate menu at a dinner hosted by a Eurasian prince. 

Dodin is quite a poetical guy. He passionately describes how ingredients, and naturally the food, change with the seasons. The movie even starts with Eugiénie picking vegetables from the garden, highlighting their awareness of where food comes from and its roots (I didn’t catch this connection at first but realized it after watching a video essay). I also loved how Dodin encourages the young helper to taste the food, telling her to remember the taste because that’s how it should be.

Lastly, I found it interesting how the title differs across languages. The Turkish version translates to “The Love of Cooks,” making the two characters equal in a way, as well as giving it a totally romantic tone. Personally, I prefer the original title since it captures the essence of passion best! If you are interested further in the review of the movie, you can take a look at this article.

If I loved cooking, this movie could easily be my favorite! But whether you love cooking or not, if you're passionate about anything, you should definitely watch it!

October 17, 2024