I'm wondering why he even took pictures. It makes sense for the movie to show what kind of character he is, but I mean, he knows they're all going to die and he can't post any of the pictures online, so he basically takes them for nothing?
@@captainmoony3172I think it’s meant to be a force of habit for him. He’s so used to taking pics of what he has to eat bc he‘s so obsessed with food that it doesn’t feel right when he doesn’t do it.
@@amethystsavage4018 I don’t think he’s really as obsessed with the food itself, just a feeling of feeling superior. That’s why it’s so funny that once put to the test, he crumbles and fails and his pretentiousness gets exposed
Tyler thought he was special and that he would be spared because he was a "true foodie." So, he takes pictures to remember the dinner later, assuming that the Chef would recognize his "brilliance" and spare him from death
I'm shocked nobody commented on the decision to include the ingredients for each dish... The entire theater laughed out loud when they captioned Tyler's dish 😂
Alot of people ignore the fact that margot paid with cash, and not with a card like everyone else. Not only does it remind us that shes not supposed to be there, it also reminds the chef of the years he spent flipping burgers, not caring about money. Now, he is just an artist whose work cant be appreciated by the people he serves. This is truly an exceptional movie
@ZeMightyVegetable1 Slowick says somewhere in the movie that Hawthorne doesn't do substitutions, and Margot was a substitute for Tyler's ex-girlfriend. Plus, those involved in the S'more were, as Slowick put it, those who "represented the ruin of his art". The people intended to be there were the rich and wealthy who, because of their backgrounds, used high-class dining as an opportunity for themselves rather than for enjoyment of the food, a class which Margot explicitly excludes herself from (which is backed up by her service worker lifestyle). Margot simply shouldn't have been there, and I can only guess Slowick was probably looking for an excuse to have her leave. You are right about the student loans thing though, I think that one was a slightly out of character moment for quick dark comedy. It's background circumstances completely out of that woman's control after all. The people who were burned were punished for their actions from being wealthy, not the wealth itself.
I think Slowik whispered to Tyler that he was unworthy of dying in "The Menu" and should go off and do it himself. Which is why Tyler's reaction was so horrified. He was so eager to fit in and be liked by Slowik to the point that he was OK with dying, but being told that he didn't deserve the same fate as the other diners broke his spirit. Yet he still did what he was told and hung himself because he was still under the illusion that Slowik was God and he should approve of everything he says and does.
The only dish the chef actually prepared, himself, is the cheeseburger. He has all his lower chefs cooking all the dishes he thought of because he doesn't find joy in cooking them. He only truly found joy in preparing a cheeseburger that anyone could enjoy regardless of their class
Head chefs and even sous chefs rarely cook on line during service, they are there to set the pace and timing of food being sent out to the customers. As well as quality control.
I was in a touring show and a group of us would do this at every restaurant where it was more than a few people and we would trade off who's birthday. If someone was new to the cast and came with us they would automatically be the GOH and wouldn't be told. I found it interesting how different restaurants handled that and which gave free food because of that. At least we tipped well. That line reminded me of that.
@@RockNRolla1212 I guess as a performer I dont mind attention so I never would have thought of anyone as the victim, although i could see it being mortifying to someone whos got social anxiety or extreme shyness Thankfully that never happened to someone that i witnessed,
I love his explanation about the history of bread. It's the hardworking common-man's food. And ultimately, his pretentious unworthy diners did not deserve it.
I watched the interview where she told the director that her silently crying a single tear was not the way someone would actually react in that that situation (which was what was originallyin the script), and a feral assault would be more realistic 😂 so they listened to her and changed it
@@raven_watches women are not alowed to be violant, they do not get angry. That was always the way women were portayed. If see does she is the evil Person not the hero. Great that they broke that stereotyp.
On a rewatch I noticed that some of the guests yell “We love you, Chef” with the cooks in the s’mores scene. I think that really adds to the idea that even they think they deserve this.
if you look at it through julian slowik's lens, it's basically a revenge story. He hated every single one of the guests except for Margot, they both share the same pain sacrificing their life working in the service industry
I don't really understand why he hated the famous guy's assistant. Because she didn't have student debt? What? She could have gotten it through scholarships
@@Sparksy she's a gold digger like what Slowik said to Margot before she snaps and asked for a cheeseburger, he called Margot a taker. Which exactly fits the famous actor's assisstant
@@Sparksy I think he only asks the question to prove the point, I think he already knows she didnt get her education through sholarships. They hinted at some points in the movie that the staff had a pretty in-depth knowledge of the guests who eat at the restaurant. The only guest they seem unaware of is Margot as she wasnt initially supposed to be dining there that evening.
I love the part where the dude is hiding in the chicken coops, literally he's a chicken lol, and one of the cooks politely hands him a dessert made with a golden egg!! I laughed so hard at that!!!
My favorite moment was when Slovik asked the two regulars to remember a single dish that he'd made for them. The look on his face, the way he's teary-eyed but not really crying, mocking them but not for his own enjoyment, just because he's disappointed, made me feel horrible. I didn't want to see them name a dish for their sake, but just to give him recognition.
@@Fvbi0 no this is the only time people are dying in the restaurant. The chef selected his victims specially for one last night. Usually it was a normal restaurant. As normal as a restaurant on a private island is.
@@Fvbi0 this is Slowik's have had enough for his "regulars" bullshit and decide to set himself "free" by doing this. before this, the customer could go home fine, hence he mentioned that the couples had dined in Hawthorne for 11 times before this.
Slowick wouldn't scoff at the burger because he was truly happy when he was flipping them. It meant a memory of a simpler time. The cheeseburger cooking scene was one of my favorite scenes in a movie. Her eating that burger made Slowick smile if you pay attention to his face.
Yes i was surprised too that he kinda misinterpret the cheeseburger scene. Flipping burgers was a good memory slovik no way he'll scoff at margot's order. I think he kinda missed slovik's cottage scenes
It represents good hard workers (customers) who appreciate another good hard worker (the cook). It was the entitled rich folks who take everything for granted that took his joy away from cooking or serving.
My sister is a pastry chef in Savannah where the movie was filmed. She was a chef in this movie. She is in the clip serving the food critic a plate at the table.
I think it was interesting to show that yes, this guy is irrational, with over movies, like saw, the bad guy is almost put on a pedestal becuase they are punishing bad guys, yet you still find a way to sympathise with Slovik
I don't think the reason was just because he didn't like the movie, much like the chef the actor is an artist, and the actor defiled the art of his craft by allowing himself to play a role in a movie that was essentially to generate money, his conversations with his assistant also show some other traits that are common in other "takers" personalities that make him fit there.
I also think that because everyone apart from margot comes from a privileged background, they didn’t attempt to survive or fight back much because they are just not used to having to fight for things. When you have everything and u can easily get things other people can’t for survival, for their needs and wants, you get complacent. And this is what i interpreted by the businessman’s wife gesturing for margot to leave.
There is fight or flight and we can’t control it Why did that not kick in for them ?. I’m watching this video but haven’t watched the movie yet. Your comment just caught my eye. This is my response before seeing the movie let’s see after. I’m sure I’ll agree :) . Thx
@@Aioki.Germany i think their fight or flight response did kick in based on their reactions but they gave up easily bc they couldn’t throw money at this problem like they would with maybe other problems
@@voguishramsh - Exactly 😉💰🚫 Money wasn't gonna get them outta this situation, so they didn't know what else they COULD do. They buy their way through life, and wouldn't have the faintest clue how to fight for survival.
I interpreted the businessman's wife gesturing as more of just giving her permission. Margot seems to have a moment of guilt about abandoning everyone, and the woman recognizes that and tells her "it's okay, go." It was interesting to see other interpretations though.
I don't think Margo asked for a cheeseburger merely because she could enjoy it unironically, but also because she saw Slowik's old employee of the month photo from when he started out flipping burgers. She could see that, even with a humble beginning like flipping burgers, he still felt joy, instead of the emptiness he felt as a luxury chef at the pinnacle of his craft. In addition, as a sex worker, Margo probably has the emotional intelligence to sense what it's like inside a man's head (at least with respect to straight men). (We know Slowik is straight because of how he sexually harassed Katherine.) I think she figured out from Slowik's employee of the month photo that asking for a burger would mess with Slowik's head & unrattle him. That gave her the psychological opening she needed to role play & negotiate her way out of the situation, which ultimately saved her life.
It’s also ironic that the most meaningful dish to be served in the film is arguably the most simplistic. The cheese burger isn’t some meticulously assembled micro-dish. It’s not meant to be hyper analyzed or critiqued by some pseudo intellectual yuppie. Despite this, it’s the only dish in the film that Margot enjoys and the only dish that chef gets seems to get pleasure out of preparing.
I thought that, having seen the photographs, she ordered it because she knew it would make him find joy in cooking again, and in gratitude, he would let her go
I loved the part when the chef accepted the role he played in creating a toxic work environment and how he took his punishment, the same way he punished his dad.
Honestly Slowik is the biggest fraud in that room. He had enough power to just walk away and setup a new burger place that would make him happy, but instead he decided to terrorize and victimize other people along with idiot yet loyal chefs. be like Margot, learn to step away. You don't save an already burning house, you take your passport and get out.
There is a deleted scene where the critic rediscovers him making food in a korean taco truck so that wasn't really an option, basically meaning that he couldn't escape.
Well said but not a perfect analogy, because burning house is more than an object and includes responsibility such as the others in it; you try to bring the people out too than simply take your passport and leave. Maybe use don't eat expired gourmet food? No matter how luxurious it is, learn to throw it away if you find it foul; the expiring do link to his expiring passion.
Slowik didnt find the confident about his beloved burger because his environment doesnt allow that. He finally found Margot but it was too late to step back.
But he didn't want to set up a burger place, he loved fine dining. The burger place is where he found his love for cooking but he found is creative self through fine dining. It gave him an identity, recognition, creative fulfillment and financial success. The entire reason why he goes out the way he does is because he's punishing the very people that abused his industry (including himself). He not a fraud, he's stuck to his ideals.
My favorite part of the movie was when Chef asks the assistant what school she went to and she says, “Brown.” He then asks if she had student loans and when she says “No,” he says, “You die.” 😂
I love that part too! The chef was so decisive haahhahaah!! But sadly I don't get the context out of it:( Would be glad if you could help explain! I'm not sure if it implies that she got into Brown because it was help paid for by her "sugar daddy" actor ...
@@Elly_saysit’s basically just the entire concept he has of givers vs takers, the decision he gives Margot, and calling her a taker when she calls for help. The women never had to work for anything, and of course he is taking it to the extreme, but in his mind she’s an obvious example of people stepping over the ‘givers’ to have a life without of work. There’s also the fact that she admits earlier in the film that she was stealing from her partner, and I’m sure the chef already was aware of that since he obviously did back ground checks on everyone but Margot, so the no student loans/you die thing was just a formality
@@Elly_says Brown University is one of the most expensive schools in the country. The fact that she paid for it without using student loans means she is wealthy and privileged. Hence she dies 😂
I think a lot of us have sneaked out for a late night cheeseburger after dumping a lot of money on unsatisfying, tiny, morsels of fine dining. That part spoke to me personally.
@@OneTakeVids the movie star convation about new food tv show with Felicity is just a dig at channel like Food Network. Where people like Bobby Flay, Guy Fiery,..etc are more known for their celebrity rather then their food
And the fact that Tyler had been corresponding w/the Chef for months AND originally invited his gf says a lot about his back story. Sounds as though he knew she was on the verge of leaving him so planned this extravagant gesture hoping she’d not refuse. But he really was, in essence, planning a murder/suicide. So the chef would have known that. In the end, I find it so interesting that the Chef was so incensed by Tyler’s arrogance, lack of respect, lack of humanity, and dishonesty that he wasn’t willing to “serve up”Tyler’s death. He decided Tyler would cook his own food and kill himself by his own hand. In the chef’s twisted, sick mind, Tyler wasn’t “worthy” of being part of the final course.
So why did Tyler willingly went to the restaurant despite knowing that only he would be killed and his girlfriend would be spared because she didn't went with him? And why was he so obsessed with the chef so much that he kill*d himself by just a single order from the chef?
@@coldplayfan7357 i think he was so arrogant that he thought that this is a "punishment" for all the fake foodies and he can prove that he is a "true foody" and be spared for it.
@@coldplayfan7357 Basically he was a psychopath whose life was completely devoid of meaning except for his idolization of Slovik. So much so that Slovik's approval or acknowledgement was far more important to him than his own life.
Tyler knew he was going to die and still took photos. There was no cell signal on the island, so he couldn't post or send them. He didn't take them to show to people. He took them because he'd be the kind of guy to think 'that's what you do with good food'
I'm a former prof chef who worked in restaurants like this much of my career. The movie is partly about class - those who expect to be wowed for just showing up but who scoff at the ones they expect to do their wowing. Its a big reason why I left the Industry because I got tired of feeling I was catering to the whims of the obnoxious, who didn't understand the work and dedication that went into procuring the food and making the meal. The skill is more than about cooking technically. Chefs have to be mental mathematicians, project managers and low-key chemists. I also remembered that everyone deserves high quality food, not just rich ppl. I grew up very poor and it became an affront to me to look out to the guests and no one looked like me or like they came from where I come from. It's not the entirety of the movie but that's the subject matter that really grabbed me.
Have you ever thought of doing community outreach like helping with food pantries or teaching cooking basics to people who didn't grow up with family that could teach them to cook? Something where you get to be around food and give back and don't have to deal with the same type of snob?
About 20 yrs ago I dined in a restaurant in Aspen Colorado. The place was full of wealthy trust fund babies who all fell silent when my wife and I walked in and were seated. I felt out of place but the staff there buzzed around us and we were served enthusiastically. I heaped praise on them for the food, the experience, and how wonderful they made us feel. Some how we got lots of extras and a free dessert. None of that was asked for and it was all delivered with bubbling smiles. I asked for the bill, which I expected to be pretty large, and it was just a pittance of a sum. I left as big a tip as I could afford. I didn't need this movie to remind me of what I learned that day, People who serve like to be appreciated for the service they provide.
That scene is what so many people are towards anything - art, movies, music, fashion. Expecting perfection, or demanding it, but when it comes to their own efforts, or even their own efforts at their own work, they of course are hardly that.
One of the best parts of the movie for me is that the movie made me feel okay with everyone dying. Generally, the audience wants to root for the people to survive. This movie made me feel different.
They all kinda understood why they had to go too at the end. No one really fought back anymore after they decided to put the fake cop in danger rather than send him home safe to his family.
@@Silva-avliS yes I absolutely can. Your average audience doesn’t understand how difficult it is to make a film, and a lot of their standards are harshly high because of it. A lot of these “critics” will say a movie is garbage without actually knowing how to make it better. If you’re going to give criticism, at least be constructive. Saying something is “garbage” without thinking you yourself can fix the problem is counterproductive and it’s just spreading hate.
The Menu, triangle of sadness , glass onion, the white lotus... these recent years have been great for satires. Ralph Fiennes proved his class once again. ate up every frame he was in. such a goddamn Good actor
Glass Onion was a bust for me. The whole twin thing is so played out it’s almost a jumping the shark thing. And the stereotypical characters were laughable and not as a clever joke like they wanted but just ridiculous. Edward Norton whom I usually love was awful and made the same OMG face the whole time. I was very disappointed and even went into it with zero expectations. White Lotus season 1 was great and I’m about to watch season 2.
@@HeatherHolt I mean, that's the point with glass onion, isn't it? there isn't really a point. It's not that deep. That's what makes it deep. Or at least I remember it that way. It isn't about this great mastermind who executed an amazing and brilliant plan. He's just an idiot. There isn't much logic behind it. It's silly. They all are.
@@karry299 nah, though it depends on how you look at it. Did you think the growing pains were ever going to stop? Not how it works: stress advances new solutions to the never-ending problems. Survival is easier than dying, isn't it? The problem with existential dread is that you know what could happen; it's wisdom bursting at the seams.
I kinda got the impression that when he asked Margo to get the barrel from the smokehouse, he was low-key giving her a chance to escape. But, because he HAD to have EVERYTHING that night meticulously planned, her escaping had to be in context of "his plan" for the evening. He couldn't just let her escape, he had to give her an order to leave the building, chancing that she'd never come back. He could always tell the other woman (I forget her name... Elsa?) to go get the barrel if Margo escaped.
@@suddenlysarablogtrue I truly thought she would try to leave cause she is not like the group, she killed the lady and went back... even after dude offed himself. I get that is a normal thing to do is call for help. But I guess I'd want to get to safety first then call. 😅
Hi there! Your analysis is incredible, and I just wanted to share an additional thought! I’ve worked in the fine dining industry for years, and my coworkers who’ve seen the movie unanimously interpret another, non-conflicting layer of satire in this film. I really feel this movie is also a satire of how the fine dining industry cannibalizes itself; elevating food to the point of absurdity, giving their crew less and less work-life balance until the line no longer exists, becoming cult like, and ultimately, in some cases, killing their employees, via stress, neglected mental health, or constant subjection to dangerous work conditions. I really felt like The Menu held up a grisly mirror to what restaurants can become. I really agree with your interpretation! I just feel there’s another layer that’s pointed specifically at people who work in restaurants. I’m not that articulate, but I just thought I’d share my thoughts!
This may have highlighted the restaurant industry, but I feel it translates to the service industry in general, thus Chef's original sense of camaraderie with Margot. Also, it struck me that when Tyler was tripping because the sous chef knew his name, Margot pointed out that Tyler didn't ask him his name.
The scene with Jeremy (the staff member who shoots himself) reminded me a lot of the experiences faced by Carmy in The Bear, cooking in high class restaurants.
That's very unfortunate. As The Princess and The Frog is one of my favorite films of all time, it reminds me how tiring Tiana's work life was at the beginning of the film. Hopefully, we can assume she treats her staff well at the restaurant she gets at the end.
I'd like to think that even the cheeseburger is well calculated move by Slovik. We all already know that he planned the evening meticulously, until he met Margo/ Erin. I'd like to think that during the 15 minutes he gave her to think which side she's on, he's already thinking of a plan B, and slowly putting his plan in motion. To ask her to get the barrel, and asked Elsa to give her the keys, well knowing that that will piss Elsa off and get them into a conflict. Leading to Margo finding the room, his humble beginnings, and also to radio Dale (big LOL moment). Love the tiny detail where he put out the candle too with his hand just for Dale to light it back up. And then finally, the look on his face when Margo finally made the order, it seemed to me as thou this is what he really desired, that he's so glad that his plan worked out, where Margo would be the only person to be able to pull this off, and he is able to partake in the joy of preparing food for a customer one last time before the finale. (Also note that he mentioned he doesn't remember the last time he actually cooked for a customer). Just my two cents, or maybe I'm just over complicating this. Great film nonetheless
Ohh I love this interpretation that he really meticulously set everything up! I love the thought that he wanted to serve one real customer who is able to just appreciate the simple taste and enjoyment of having simple, comforting, delicious food before he set everything on fire. It's like that thing where you have your life flashes before your eyes, just moments before you die. Good observation!
I honestly agree with this perspective as well. The whole fake out with the cop could have only been planned rather than something made up on the spot so it's not too far off to say the whole thing was planned as well.
13:40 The business mans wife probably gestures Erin (Margot's real name) to leave because she reminds her of their deceased daughter. You can see it at the beginning of the film where the lady was pointing at Tylers table and she kept pointing at Erin saying " she looks like Claire". It could be a possibility that the lady might be aware of her husbands sexual abuse towards their daughter ( which could be one cause of her early death) so allowing Erin go is a way for forgiveness and also to alleviate the guilt. But that is just my two cents.
I thought I was the only one that noticed incestual abuse (I thought from an accident, or that Erin was their runaway daughter until she mentioned to Slovik that he said along the lines of "Be my daughter" and it clicked. I loved that you added the mother telling her to leave as a gesture to her daughter, giving her repentance (nice boost w/ death by fire: purifying). loved this observation 🖤
There are few but VERY powerful moments in the script that shed a glimpse into the deep-seated trauma of the Chefs relationship with his parents and the dysfunctional childhood that forged his personality and let's the audience know that this is a guy who genuinely tried to follow his passion in life but was ultimately corrupted and destroyed by the never-ending shittiness of other human beings and finally snapped.
I think there is some real nuance in this film between Margo and the Head Chef. I particularly liked the theme of us vs them and the recognition that Margo was also a provider and not a taker. Chef makes the decision early on that she is a taker and categorises her with the guests but as Margo proves later on, she, like chef, is also a master of her craft. Her craft is to find whatever makes her customer happy and highten that experience for them (which i think was another subtle reason we were told about the rich mans fantasy). She does this with chef when she sees him as a burger flipper and ultimately plays on this to provide chef with a pleasurable experience. I think part of the reason chef let her go was because in that moment he realised she IS a provider and an equal to him, a master of her craft.
In case you are interested here are the restaurants that are "mocked" in The Menu: *Noma* in Copenhagen (The mention of the “perfectly unripe” strawberry is from the chef of *Noma),* *Blue Hill* at Stone Barns, *Mugaritz* in the Basque Country, *The Willows* in the Pacific Northwest, chef Francis Mallmann’s private island *La Isla* off the coast of Patagonia. The spice racks are replicated from the kitchen at the now closed restaurant *El Bulli,* house made granola in gift bags are from *Eleven Madison Park.* The single raw scallop perched on a craggy rock surrounded by carefully tweezed seaweed and algae is a replicate of a dish at *Atelier Crenn.* Crenn developed the menu for the movie. Finally, the amuse-bouche served on the boat is a reference to a signature dish from chef Thomas Keller at *Per Se.*
Also, the aged dairy cow is from magnus nilsson, chefs table season 1 episode 1. The ecosystem of food concept and the elaborate inorganic food incorporated plating takes notes from from Peruvian restaurant Central, in chefs table season 3.
I was in an abusive relationship with a man who was like Tyler to a scary degree. Certain lines like him telling her not to smoke so that she wouldn't ruin her palate made me very uncomfortable, but watching his end was very therapeutic.
Sorry to hear that. For me, on 1st viewing, Tyler's personality was the most hilarious! Obsessive to the point of obliviousness (or maybe not caring)--chowing down while others were being maimed or committing suicide. Despite the disturbing incidents, like a true foodie, taking a deep breath he closes his eyes to maximize mindfulness, to catch the mouthfeel of this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
The moment he tapped-swatted her hand on the boat, I was READY for him to die 😒...such an asshole move. I was hoping the sous chef would have taken him out when he kept questioning him....
@@bajabl He also knew he was gonna die in Mad Max & sacrificed himself willingly. Maybe he thought this was a noble sacrifice in some psychopath type of way.
@@JC-li8kk - Or it was suicide/murder by restaurant. Remember, he invited his (ex) GF there knowing fully well they’d both be killed. Makes me think the GF had had enough of Tyler (if she was ever his GF at all) and wanted him out of her life. So he decides to pull the plug on both of them, trying to lure her in with an extravagant, exclusive dinner. Had she chosen to relax her resolve for the sake of extravagance, she would have made the chef’s guilty pretentious user list and died. But she didn’t.
Margo couldn't believe it worked. He actually made a cheeseburger and asked if she wanted fries too. Then when she asked if she could get it to go. She was amazed at how well it went. Even as she walked out the door and to the boat she couldn't believe he let her go
You left out the mother. Also, Chef relates a story of abuse from his childhood in Iowa, then later states he 'grew up in Bratislava'' while Erin says she's from Massachusetts only to have Chef later refer to her as 'Erin from Nebraska'... the villain and the final girl are both as fake in their origins and personae.
For me Ralph Fiennes deserves an award for his performance in this movie. Probably the best movie that is not sci/fi that has been made in the last couple of years.
Ralph Fiennes has deserved an award ever since Schindler's List. The guy is brilliant in everything he's in. It's a travesty he hasn't received an Oscar yet.
You forgot to mention that making a burger was the only thing chef liked to make. The only time he truly smiled in the whole movie was while he made the burger and in the picture that Margot found in his room.
Well, take her profession into consideration; her job is to find out what makes people happy and make them feel pleasure. That’s what she did with him, found out the source of his unhappiness, brought it to the forefront and then made him do something he loved.
@@alexman378 OMG YOURE SO RIGHT!! Yessss and it’s even more powerful how chef’s job is the exact same! To pleasure his guests and he’s deeply desolated when he doesn’t please someone with his food. This movie captures the evils of perfectionism so well!
I disagree, it is not the only thing he likes to make but it was something that she really wanted and realized she saw the picture. He appreciated the truth from her and that she asked for something he knows well. I am sure he has enjoyed other dishes and meals. Erin knowing what she wanted and knowing what he wanted made him happy.
I watched this movie with my boyfriend and I used to be a pastry chef. Praise my boyfriend for being a saint while we sat in a red lobster and I was RAVING about the attention to detail and the symbolism of everything. I took it all as a symbolism of how hard and long it takes to go from cook to chef and the ups and downs of the culinary industry period. The food culture thing also got to me heavyyy because no one really eats our food for enjoyment it’s just for a cute insta pic (as Tyler so graciously shows us lol) and idk I’m rambling rn bc I loved this movie definitely would watch again and probably going to.
The most hilarious thing about “Tyler’s Bulls**t” is that Tyler could’ve easily made a simple dish. He could’ve assembled a sandwich, fry an egg, even make a freaking salad. But he was so desperate to impress Chef Slowick that he tried and failed to create a dish that was way out of his league. The dish represents what Tyler was the entire movie. A failure.
Margo (Erin's) final act of ordering a cheeseburger was one of the best endings I've seen in a film. I've seen so many different "takes " on this scene and explanations for why it saved her life, but I think the message is rooted in one service industry person working for another service industry person for an affordable rate. Erin is a working class social servant who is only at the restaurant because she was hired by a super wealthy man. When she sees the photo of Chef working at a burger joint, it is the only picture that shows him smiling. She is able to understand this joy as only another service industry person can--the joy of serving kind customers who also are working class servants. As a lifelong public servant who -*-barely-*- makes a living, I relate to this on a deep level. I have worked hard in my field for over 12 years and because of my financial needs (medical, housing, etc), I have needed to find employment in a wealthy town in order to make enough. I work for rich elites who treat me like trash, but I am able to push past that part of my job and remember that I serve nature and the public as a whole before anything else. When Chef cooks the cheeseburger, he is cooking for a person in the working class who will appreciate and savor the food for the sake of the food itself. And beyond the incredible flavors of a well-made classic cheeseburger, it also fulfills the most basic human need: hunger. Because Erin is a working class person who has been forced to serve her entire life to survive, she has real hunger at the restaurant. She is hungry not only for food, but for life itself. By surviving and fighting for life, we become hungry for life in ways that the wealthy elite will never understand. Much like mortality, surviving gives music to the blankness of temporal existence on earth. When Erin savors and enjoys the cheeseburger, Chef is able to finally serve someone he respects after a long road into darkness from serving only the wealthy and losing his purpose. When she asks for it "to go", he realizes that she is not part of the Menu he created for that night and finally allows her to leave in order to finish the meal as designed. She is saved because she is the only person still hungry to live and eat. The rest of the group is emptied from the sheer uselessness of their existence and lack of experiencing need. I have a short anecdote from my own life that helps to summarize my analysis. In 2019, I moved to one of the richest towns in Vermont to work for a tree company as a climbing arborist. The company paid me $18/hour and I lived in a tiny apartment and rode my bike to get around. I barely made enough to survive because the cost of living in the area was very high. Eventually I made a few friends and one of them was the great-grandson of Irving Berlin. He had been given a nice house in the mountains by his wealthy father and his family had paid for all his expensive rehab (from drugs) and most everything else. He worked as a bartender in order to "get life experience" as part of the deal for getting a free house. He paid for almost nothing. One day, after seeing a movie together, we were driving back and he literally said (outloud) that he wished he "could suffer like me". He went on to say that he had never struggled or fought for money in his life and felt he was missing out on the experiences I had as a lower class person trying to make it. He said that he wished he could have the same kind of fear and anxiety around existence so that he could actually enjoy his life in a more holistic way. Needless to say, it took my entire self-control to stop myself from yeeting out of his moving vehicle. I never wanted to hang out with him again because it was the most tone-deaf, ignorant speech I had ever heard (since this occurred I have heard worse, unfortunately). But one thing stuck with me-- he truly didn't understand what it meant to live fully. He didn't understand the fight to survive or the joy of succeeding in small ways as you grow. Even though he will always have more material comfort and money, I have something greater: substance and drive. I have the flavor of life because I truly understand what it feels like to want to die from the suffering and then rise out of the ashes of that ruin and want to live. He can burn with the rest of the vile and corrupt wealthy classes. The Menu is one of my favorite films of all time because it was a true love letter to the modern serving class. It isn't for the rich. They will never understand or enjoy the flavor of this meal because it is only for those who have experienced the hunger.
This is why the first album of every artist is their best work because it is pure and comes from a real place. The same is true for many I know in the arts
I love this comment. I’ve been working in kitchens since I graduated high school barely surviving through college. I’m surrounded by a lot of friends and students who have everything paid for them and it’s tough.
Thank you so much for writing this and sharing your analysis and experiences. You really hit at the heart of the film, while gifting us with a great story of your own. I wish all the best for you.
I loved this movie! I ultimately thought of it to that her being able to leave was not only due to the fact that she was worthy of doing so but ultimately because she ordered from a different menu he made it clear that everyone who came to experience the menu was going to die that night and the fact that she ordered, ate and paid for something different to me was like this is exactly why she gets to leave
I love your analysis, I thought it had a lot of great insights. Just wanted to mention that one of the staff members, Katherine, actually does name Chef Slowik by name, which I found interesting because it seemed to intentionally break the illusion of Slowik as this god like entity and make him a flawed human again
As a former chrf I strongly identified with the taker/givers system, it was exactly what I felt. It did not matter how much I could climb the ladder within my profession, in the end I would always end up serving others to the detrimental of my own life and wellbeing. And matter how mich my clients praised my work they will never see me as an equal but ad someone whose time and labor belonged go them. Even if I could make more money than some of them, ironically.
Margo shocking the main villian back to his humanity by making him cook her a burger that he used to love to cook was the chef's kiss of the movie. She figured out how to survive and manipulate the bad guy in one hard hitting sentence
You barely mentioned the s'mores. A crude cheap snack magnificently transformed by fire. I lmao at that scene all the while Margot is chomping her cheeseburger.
A crude, cheap snack that was originally made around a campfire, while having fun with friends, but then became a trend in the food world where it lost all of it's soul.
Did anybody notice how Tyler actually almost slipped up mentioning how they were gonna die. He waves Margot off saying “it doesn’t matter…” and trails off. I only noticed my second time watching lol
The chef knew he was going to let her go. He puts a finger from the business partner in each gift bag, he knew Tyler would kill himself and he would let Margo go. So the remaining 10 guests would each get a finger
But she wasn’t supposed to be there, and he had already planned on killing the investor. Plus didn’t she also get a gift bag? And weren’t there 11 guests? Minus Tyler that’s 10. One person for each finger
Given how Slowik purposefully identified her as a giver, as one of "them", revealed Tyler and introduced 'Tyler's Bullshit' as part of the menu even though it wasn't a planned part of the course, and gave Margot the chance to 1) grab a weapon from the smoke house and 2) enter Slowik's own cottage (think about the barrel he mentioned, even though Elsa said he never ordered such a thing), I definitely think Slowik formed his own other plan to free Margot alone when he realized she wasn't part of the plan, and, was innocent out of the whole bunch. He had painstakingly planned everything- even the possibility that someone would trespass into his own cabin (perhaps during men's folly) and find the walkie-talkie. I mean, when the conversation unfolded of him declaring Margot was in fact not a giver but a taker, it made her be in the position of requesting anything to the staff. It was a chance Margot instinctively caught, and although Slowik strives to complete the menu, it's also because of the people involved that makes him devote himself to the work. Once it's started you can't quit, you know? Complete destruction or another epic ruin in life, this time for the staff as well. Slowik letting Margot out for the barrel was him giving a chance for her to escape, and Margot chanced that escape by not fighting her way out but expecting help through the walkie-talkie, which angered Slowik..since that just ruins the menu altogether. But her piecing the clues together to request the hamburger was her own shot, and Slowik definitely knew he would let her live once it was mentioned. But personally I want to talk about Elsa more, since she seems to be left out during this hypothesis. When Elsa introduced the guests around the island she said that only the chef can enter his cottage alone - but as it turns out, she happens to be inside Slowik's cabin even before Margot actually enters. And she tries to kill Margot screaming that she will not let Margot replace her, AND she happens to have the very key to the silver door - where Slowik's bedroom is. So comcluding, I first thought Elsa was simply a very enthusiastic zealot into Slowik's food cult/religion, but now I'm also thinking she may be Slowik's personal prostitute as well. No offense, but considering how there's a bed outside the silver door (in the replica of Hawthorne) when there's another bed inside the silver door's cabin, I think it could be an unimplied setting of Hawthorne. I mean, Slowik tried to sexually assault his sou chef. Twice. And Margot(Erin) is an escort, so if Elsa is involved in sexual relationship with Slowik, it might understand the rather mad violence Elsa showed before she died. Although it wouldn't be wrong to say that the staff is just a terribly mad bunch altogether.
If she was his call girl- wouldnt he know that he had seen her before?? And she would know that too. It wasnt the case here. And he recognized her as a service worker because of her manners! Her ability to be authentic and not pretentious. That’s how he knew.
Another layer that I read into the Margot storyline is how if you are not part of the elite, not only do you need to outsmart them but also people your own class, or that is what is imposed by the system.
I thought I was a deep thinker until I saw this breakdown. I’m embarrassed at how lazy I was in analyzing this movie while watching it. Now I have to watch it again to fully appreciate it.
Yes!! And that's not even getting into all the comedic actors who have the chops to carry thrillers too (and vice versa). Both are masters of timing and setup
I think Ann telling Erin to leave is also influenced by her previous statement in the movie that Erin looks like their daughter. There could be a element of maternal instinct to her actions.
This movie was so entertaining and had me guessing at every turn. The part that struck me was seeing Slowiks "employee of the month" plaque and that genuine smile on his face just making a burger.
Really good video . One thing I looked at differently was the scene where the chef was explaining to everyone that they could of probably escaped if they tried. I took it as the chef was talking to the viewers that they could have of escaped but we all want to see what happens next and that’s why they didn’t try hard to leave even at the ending, not becuz they excepted their fate but that the viewers were being represented by the customers and that no matter how bad things were getting ,their curiosity kept them put
I think Judith Light’s character knew her husband did something to their daughter (some reference to incest), and so she definitely is okay with dying than going on with that knowledge. The others just didn’t think they could escape. The actor being told he just wasn’t good was hilarious😅
I got the same vibe about her. It wasn't denial. She knew but hadn't fully come to terms with it yet. She also struck me as an incredibly weak individual because every time she asked about Margot her husband would shut it down and she would just take it. If you watch her closely it's almost like the guilt of her husband abusing their daughter was eating her alive. She looked so sad and miserable. The husband too! At certain times he couldn't even look her in the eye.
I think you could argue equally that the diners chose to stay with Chef because it is the ultimate ending for those seeking out status and who are full of hubris. To die alongside Chef and his staff shows they were selected for his ultimate piece de triumph, his complete menu, his fantastical and fanatical last comment on everything, food, art, takers and givers. It all turns to shit in the end! What an honour to be selected for his final opus! Imagine the coverage the event would get after words get out that this genius celebrity chef worked out individual details of each guest as part of his vision! Yes, there's a defeated feel to the ending but I think you could also see their own egos believed they DESERVED to follow the ultimate food experience to the end because their status is all they have.
I can't get the final images of these status-seekers "dressed-up" as S'mores: their straight arms bound to their sides, a shoulder-shawl of marshmallows with a big chocolate cylinder capping their heads, the chocolate melting over the forehead and eyes of the restaurant critic, the movie-star's assistant tasting it with her finger. This is black comedy or fiendish humour!
I think they were just all suicidal or lacked the will to live and the chefs picked them specifically because of that. I cried at the end the second time I watched it because you watch them become comfortable and relaxed with the thought of dying. They were so happy and at peace at the end.
Thank you for making a deeper analysis of the story and not just repeating the plot that other videos do. As a bonus, there is something I have not seen mentioned anywhere. The picture on the silver door to chef's room looks like saint George with a spear killing the dragon. There should be some symbolism there.
"In a legend, Saint George-a soldier venerated in Christianity-defeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a human tribute once a year. This was acceptable to the villagers until a princess was chosen as the next offering. The saint thereupon rescues the princess chosen as the next offering."
@@ic9372 Hmm that's interesting because by that analogy, Slovik is both the saint and the dragon- he takes her with the rest of the "village" as a sacrifice, but ultimately lets her go by killing himself. You could also interpret the villagers as the customers and the tribute as the food-- they don't care about throwing away their money until there are consequences they can't pay off, at which point they remain complacent until Margot, someone who objectively is a victim, gets thrown into the mix?
Thank you so much for making a video which explains the movie well and doesn't just mindlessly read out the plot shot for shot. This video actually taught me something and made me look at the movie from a different perspective. The amount of "explained" videos that are just a plot summary is ridiculous.
I thought the Chef was a bit over the top until he screamed at the window "THERE ARE NO SUBSTITUTIONS!!!!!" then I immediately flashed back to all my years in restaurants, and the rage made sense 😅😅😅
I love the irony of eat vs taste. Chef gave them a tasting menu, Erin asked for a joyful hamburger she could eat and Chef could deliver with joy. Simple is good.
Interesting thing about this idea of “overanalyzing” art-in music at least, that is exactly how classical “art” music used to be enjoyed. Up to the Romantic period (and in my opinion really up to WW2), the “educated” audience was fulfilled by not just having the music move them emotionally, but by noticing the many clever ways the composer wrote the piece. Composers easily could make “popular” music for the masses, but it’s the details that only the “elite” can enjoy are what elevate the medium into “art.”
Turning art into content and food (a necessity) into art is definitely the darkly interesting and ultimately depressing core. As someone who enjoys creating I’ve definitely see how social media has turned a piece of art into a single social media post that either garners you your 15 minutes of “fame” or just enters into the void with little to no interactions, a “disappointing failure” from social media’s perspective. Art has always occupied a weird facet of our lives, it’s respected, loved and admired, but also deeply critiqued, politicized, and often forced into the mold of what’s popular during that are, and unless you’re amazing you were often seen as worthless as an artist and forgotten to time. This analysis of the movie really strikes a deeper core with me that just seeing the movie itself did.
There's a moment of beauty in the film where chef makes a cheeseburger... A moment of love and loss, the realization of what was and what has been lost in the fire. Great movie:)
Although this is a movie about food, it became food for my soul as a viewer. Watching this analysis and reading others interpretations is to savour the different layers and flavours of this complex, thought-provoking movie. My takeaway, was somewhat personal, as i also work in an industry which serves others and i was highly passionate, and told by everyone that i was great. However my goal was ultimately meaningless to reach a promotion as i felt like i had been taken advantage of and burnt out, then passed up when the opportunity finally came… and i lost my passion completely. I continued working somewhere else but the ‘love’ and passion is gone. When the chef sat Margot down and they discussed how they once both loved to serve people, but it soured and they lost their passion over time, i felt that. The ‘menu’ was one last hurrah for the chef, to culminate the story of his food and progression, to create one last masterpiece which ‘deconstructs’ his food/career artistry- and a final ‘f u’ to those who contributed to the downfall of his passion (the critiques, the sucks ups, the investors who bought his soul and acted like it was a profit on their own behalf, the rich who didn’t care about the sacrifice put in, etc). They were all a part of the menu of his passion going south (which was the theme that Tyler spoke of, in which he said figuring out the theme of the menu makes it more enjoyable) Margot was a kindred spirit who felt the same and that was why she didn’t belong there… until she upset him by running away and he felt vindicated to kill her. The chef also stated during the movie, ‘nothing can be perfect’, but Margot choosing to call him out in the end, rectified the mistake in her being there. She was unlike the others by calling him out, challenging him and offering honest feedback which offered him the spontaneity to appease her and prove her wrong, calling back to his early days and giving him back the thing he had wanted more than anything. He had stated earlier that he missed the feeling, but as he made the burger for her, with a smile and near tear in his eye, that feeling was back for a brief glimpse- his long forgotten passion. Her spontaneity in that moment created the perfect moment for him, which shocked him, something that was rare in a crowd of vapid consumers. She was a mistake on his menu, but she gave him the real taste he had been searching for and provided one last moment of feeling… which is why she was allowed to leave. She wasn’t superficially eating like the others, she provided a reflection/taste of a something lost and he got to savour it. He then concluded his story/menu by taking out everyone in his final masterpiece- a cheers to those who demand the best, but also killed off the best.
Its a satiracle observation of critique ...critique on 3rd party critique ,self critique , critique on creator , critique on creations ,critique on consumers and critique on sponsors of anything that try to turn simplicity in to analysis. Kinf of like this video essay and kind of like my comment. It knew that we would be taking it way too seriously and mimics taking itself seriously so that it can laugh at us and hopefully we can laugh at ourselves . I loved it, the craft being displayed never matters because it can really be applied to any culture that encourages or cultivates fanaticism, we really need more movies that humble our egos as a society that often has these weird narcissistic gatekeepers and overly eager promoters and admirers .
Just from watching the trailer I somehow thought this was going to end in cannibalism because I don't know why but I feel like cannibalism as a topic is kinda in trend at the moment. But I'm so glad it turned out so much better than I expected. I just came back from watching it alone because I thought my boyfriend wouldn't enjoy it (he hates when people die in movies). But everyone who dies deserved it at least a little bit so I might need to watch it again with him.
when it comes to restaurants that are creepy, the usual go to twist is "Surprise the food is human meat!". So that's prolly why you thought that. I thought the same too.
Yeah my initial thoughts of the trailer was it was gonna be like rusty lake hotel where guests start going missing and each meal is based on the person missing
The Menu is now one of two of my favorite suspense satire movies. The other being Velvet Buzzsaw which has about the same message about the conflict in art and high class society.
The only picture that showed Slowik happy was where he won employee of the month at the burger stand he worked at. That resonated with Margo and was why she asked for a burger. She thought that would bring him back to that place in his life where he loved making food and maybe it would change the current trajectory of death. I loved the movie and thought it was fantastic. When Margo was out on the boat and it ran out of gas made me wonder if this was done on purpose. They'd let one leave to tell the story.
I thought, at that point, Anya Taylor-Joy's character had won their freedom, and as it was now just another (jacked up) din, they would just have to pay and then could leave. I guess I misread the Chef's body language? I read it as, oh you scamp - YOU win! Foolish, foolish Suckah🥴
Im a bit shocked that most comments dont seem to grasp that the chef was the most pretentious and insane out of all of them. I see a lot of people saying "Yeah, the guests kind of deserved it" and shit like that when we got scenes explicity spelling out that, no, they dont. This guy is just a lunatic. Really hope that none of these people ever open up a restaurant or I will have to be afraid for my life simply for forgetting what I ate last time I was there.
But also, the part where you say they all call him "Chef" like a god - this is actually how all kitchens work, especially fancy ones with michelin stars.
Totally on-target interpretation of this film! You opened my eyes to several things about it. Well done! I think Margot asks for a cheeseburger because she knows that is the Chef's true 'art', what actually means something to him...she asks to take it with her, which gives it importance (allowing for the irony of it being merely low-culture food that will soon be eaten or discarded.). That is what allows the Chef to let her go free, because she is young (and perhaps I read too much into this), she can go back to the world with some true understanding of his 'message'
My favorite part of the movie is when they bring one of the finance bros a cake and he's like "you told them it was my birthday?" "seemed a lot funnier about 3 hours ago..." 😂
I don’t think they necessarily wanted to die, I don’t think they would’ve accepted their fate that easily at least not in that sense. They accepted their fate because they felt powerless, which is sorta poetic given they always have so much power. They were scared confused and trapped. They’re rich but they’re still human. They waved Erin off because they had accepted their fate and they weren’t going to jeaprodize the chance of atleast one of them escaping. I feel that they in a sense did care for her, but maybe that’s my own personal bias cause I don’t think _anyone_ can ever be truly devoid of empathy.
@@dingo8226 What do you mean by that? The setting of the movie (I could understand why that could be described as "white"), or the movie itself? The later, I wouldn't quite understand.
@@dingo8226 yeah but this was well needed in today's Hollyweird culture of bs overdone, "on the nose" content. This was rewarding and the social commentary on how content creators and influencers have ruined the joy of art.
I wanted to say that all of the actors playing the kitchen staff who have no lines, but must act with intensity, are exactly what they are to the movie as the character kitchen staff is to the restaurant. When I worked in a restaurant, most of the servers were artists of one type or another. So, actors, musicians and artists are all there at high end restautants.
@@dontmakeitbadd Interesting, I once saw a music video from the band Cake in which two of the band members competed in a cooking competition making a meal from pumpkins. The band was demonstrating the connection within the servant/artist/musician class. They are in general a much better class of humanity than the rich.
"Once you expose how it's done and break it down to its logical components the feeling is gone." The same goes to this movie. I watched this movie as entertainment yet I was left with confusion about this movie. But as I watched your video, I want to watch it again to fully understand the meaning and messages of every act they did rather than the plot.
this is like saying harvey weinstein is a genius for producing a lot of tarantino's movies. Granted, tarantino isn't a saint but all credits should be given where it's due. Tarantino can direct AND write good stories, weinstein didn't do shit
@@bella-zk6sy I actually wrote similar of my comment in many videos about the Menu, the funny thing that all the replies talking about Midsommer but no one mentioned talked about Clue or The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover!? I guess most people in the comments are Gen Z.
'The Menu' pointed out how I had become ungrateful lately. I was the only one of my family who liked it, but it reminded me why I must not take anything for granted, because the small things are special, not the money and how much you can buy
My first thought was that he's keeping them all (the workers) in some kind of hypnosis. The way he always clapped. Then she did it which snapped him back to his past and he thought he's still just a cook, that's why he went to do her order so wilingly and let her go. But it wouldn't explain the ending
I think the point is to give that impression but it’s in the service of showing that when you have people’s utter devotion and loyalty, you don’t even have to hypnotize them, because they eagerly comply for your approval. In addition, clapping/chanting/singing etc. are often used by cults to encourage group bonding and conformity, so it’s probably also a reference to that kind of thing.
Great review. Loved your perspective. Wish this movie had a bit more of the humor that was implied in the trailer but absolutely loved the performances and it was fascinating. This was the chef's final supper and a vendetta against these people (specific to him but also symbolic of the systems) that represent what kills (his) art (/artists). (Greed, Elitism, Pandering, Selling out, Toxic Fandom, Unfair Criticism, Corruption, Indifference, Fear of Irrelevance, Ego, Fear, Passiveness, Unoriginality, Dishonesty, Abuse of power, Exploitation, Failure, etc.) Would love this concept done a again with more camp but really enjoyed it.
“You will eat less than you desire but more than you deserve,” Elsa (Hong Chau). Such a brilliant line that ties it all up.
Hers was my favorite performance in a very well acted film.
@@AndrewWatson401 "Tortiiiilla."
@@TheMercyTrials ]
You remind me of a parrot.
“Don’t say ‘mouth parts.’”
also the fact that tyler KNEW he (and everyone) was gonna die and yet he still decided to take pictures and make content out of it
I'm wondering why he even took pictures. It makes sense for the movie to show what kind of character he is, but I mean, he knows they're all going to die and he can't post any of the pictures online, so he basically takes them for nothing?
@@captainmoony3172I think it’s meant to be a force of habit for him. He’s so used to taking pics of what he has to eat bc he‘s so obsessed with food that it doesn’t feel right when he doesn’t do it.
@@amethystsavage4018 I haven't thought about that but it makes so much sense. Thank you :)
@@amethystsavage4018 I don’t think he’s really as obsessed with the food itself, just a feeling of feeling superior. That’s why it’s so funny that once put to the test, he crumbles and fails and his pretentiousness gets exposed
Tyler thought he was special and that he would be spared because he was a "true foodie." So, he takes pictures to remember the dinner later, assuming that the Chef would recognize his "brilliance" and spare him from death
I'm shocked nobody commented on the decision to include the ingredients for each dish... The entire theater laughed out loud when they captioned Tyler's dish 😂
Tyler’s bullshit 😂
YES! Like the special dish they give to the guy in the chicken coop lol
I thought the list of ingredients for S'mores was hillarious. Marshmallow, Graham crackers, staff, customers amd restaurant
RIP Jeremy
@@ED80s that was so funny lmao
Alot of people ignore the fact that margot paid with cash, and not with a card like everyone else. Not only does it remind us that shes not supposed to be there, it also reminds the chef of the years he spent flipping burgers, not caring about money. Now, he is just an artist whose work cant be appreciated by the people he serves. This is truly an exceptional movie
yes!! and the fact that she paid with a crumpled up 10 dollar bill, likely made from her work, reinforces the idea
Yes, i also love how she use a crumpled 10 dollar bill.
Wow so deep 😂
How do you know when he was flipping burgers not caring about money
@ZeMightyVegetable1 Slowick says somewhere in the movie that Hawthorne doesn't do substitutions, and Margot was a substitute for Tyler's ex-girlfriend. Plus, those involved in the S'more were, as Slowick put it, those who "represented the ruin of his art". The people intended to be there were the rich and wealthy who, because of their backgrounds, used high-class dining as an opportunity for themselves rather than for enjoyment of the food, a class which Margot explicitly excludes herself from (which is backed up by her service worker lifestyle).
Margot simply shouldn't have been there, and I can only guess Slowick was probably looking for an excuse to have her leave.
You are right about the student loans thing though, I think that one was a slightly out of character moment for quick dark comedy. It's background circumstances completely out of that woman's control after all. The people who were burned were punished for their actions from being wealthy, not the wealth itself.
@@Enigmalake Did you watch the film?
I think Slowik whispered to Tyler that he was unworthy of dying in "The Menu" and should go off and do it himself. Which is why Tyler's reaction was so horrified. He was so eager to fit in and be liked by Slowik to the point that he was OK with dying, but being told that he didn't deserve the same fate as the other diners broke his spirit. Yet he still did what he was told and hung himself because he was still under the illusion that Slowik was God and he should approve of everything he says and does.
There was also a note in the script that Tyler believed he could survive if he could get Chef to like him.
I think chef threatened him with something worse even though your explanation is in lore with the story I think slowik threatened him
Yeah I definitely think it was something along the lines of "do what you know needs to be done"
The only dish the chef actually prepared, himself, is the cheeseburger. He has all his lower chefs cooking all the dishes he thought of because he doesn't find joy in cooking them. He only truly found joy in preparing a cheeseburger that anyone could enjoy regardless of their class
Very true. A good cheeseburger can be the best food sometimes. 🍔
Totally correct!
Mmm borgar
Head chefs and even sous chefs rarely cook on line during service, they are there to set the pace and timing of food being sent out to the customers. As well as quality control.
It's usually the simplest foods that will put a smile on people's face. My meal watching this movie was a Banh Mi from my local Vietnamese place.
I loved the birthday cake "You guys told them it was my birthday?" "It seemed really funny three hours ago..."
U ever had ur friends do that to u in a restaurant 😂
Cause I haven’t
*I have no friends*
@@23Bandz_ I've been the victim of that prank a handful of times. My friends are dicks! Haha.
I was in a touring show and a group of us would do this at every restaurant where it was more than a few people and we would trade off who's birthday. If someone was new to the cast and came with us they would automatically be the GOH and wouldn't be told. I found it interesting how different restaurants handled that and which gave free food because of that. At least we tipped well. That line reminded me of that.
@@RockNRolla1212 I guess as a performer I dont mind attention so I never would have thought of anyone as the victim, although i could see it being mortifying to someone whos got social anxiety or extreme shyness Thankfully that never happened to someone that i witnessed,
@@23Bandz_ that's because they don't understand you. I would be your friend. Well i would try, cant promise anything. 🤪
I love his explanation about the history of bread. It's the hardworking common-man's food. And ultimately, his pretentious unworthy diners did not deserve it.
@@provvfacemassage I don’t think any of that was lost on the original commenter.
@@trashpacker4500 no it was just stating the obvious. Just thank the man for his interesting comment lol
@@provvfacemassage lol that was very interesting. I don’t read long comments but this take was spot on.
But Margo finally got her bread!
Margot didn’t eat anything because she was more delicious than anything on the menu.
I loved when Margot/Erin crawled across the table to slap the s**t out of Tyler when she found out he KNEW they would die! I cheered for her!
That wasn't a slap; It was an honest punch.
And apparently it was her idea
I watched the interview where she told the director that her silently crying a single tear was not the way someone would actually react in that that situation (which was what was originallyin the script), and a feral assault would be more realistic 😂 so they listened to her and changed it
@@raven_watches women are not alowed to be violant, they do not get angry. That was always the way women were portayed. If see does she is the evil Person not the hero. Great that they broke that stereotyp.
On a rewatch I noticed that some of the guests yell “We love you, Chef” with the cooks in the s’mores scene. I think that really adds to the idea that even they think they deserve this.
Or it's an exaggeration of the "YES CHEF" culture you see depicted on TV
You were able to rewatch this turd of a movie?
@@bltvd go watch transformers or marvel, these are more on your intellectual level
@@Windwalker88 i actually did see the new transformers movie and it was way better than this tripe!
if you look at it through julian slowik's lens, it's basically a revenge story. He hated every single one of the guests except for Margot, they both share the same pain sacrificing their life working in the service industry
Prostitution isn't service anything and isn't industry at all. You are crazy. Its so obvious. The prostitution is sh*t. That's not job. It's plague.
@@ps4games164 dumbass mentality
I don't really understand why he hated the famous guy's assistant. Because she didn't have student debt? What? She could have gotten it through scholarships
@@Sparksy she's a gold digger
like what Slowik said to Margot before she snaps and asked for a cheeseburger, he called Margot a taker. Which exactly fits the famous actor's assisstant
@@Sparksy I think he only asks the question to prove the point, I think he already knows she didnt get her education through sholarships. They hinted at some points in the movie that the staff had a pretty in-depth knowledge of the guests who eat at the restaurant. The only guest they seem unaware of is Margot as she wasnt initially supposed to be dining there that evening.
I love the part where the dude is hiding in the chicken coops, literally he's a chicken lol, and one of the cooks politely hands him a dessert made with a golden egg!! I laughed so hard at that!!!
tyler speaking: twas not a dessert, but a starter I believe, based on the arpege egg
@@pithyginger6371 😂😂😂
I am still wondering what Chef whispered to Tyler..... that was a chilling scene
Yeah i lol’d at that scene too
Yeah it was funny.
My favorite moment was when Slovik asked the two regulars to remember a single dish that he'd made for them. The look on his face, the way he's teary-eyed but not really crying, mocking them but not for his own enjoyment, just because he's disappointed, made me feel horrible. I didn't want to see them name a dish for their sake, but just to give him recognition.
😟 cod lol
Genuinely my empathy went to Slovik, rather than the people practically at gunpoint
If they were regulars and everyone dies at the end of each “Menu”, how they kept coming back ?
@@Fvbi0 no this is the only time people are dying in the restaurant. The chef selected his victims specially for one last night. Usually it was a normal restaurant. As normal as a restaurant on a private island is.
@@Fvbi0 this is Slowik's have had enough for his "regulars" bullshit and decide to set himself "free" by doing this. before this, the customer could go home fine, hence he mentioned that the couples had dined in Hawthorne for 11 times before this.
Slowick wouldn't scoff at the burger because he was truly happy when he was flipping them. It meant a memory of a simpler time. The cheeseburger cooking scene was one of my favorite scenes in a movie. Her eating that burger made Slowick smile if you pay attention to his face.
Yes i was surprised too that he kinda misinterpret the cheeseburger scene. Flipping burgers was a good memory slovik no way he'll scoff at margot's order. I think he kinda missed slovik's cottage scenes
It represents good hard workers (customers) who appreciate another good hard worker (the cook). It was the entitled rich folks who take everything for granted that took his joy away from cooking or serving.
He smiles while making it, too. He enjoys making the cheeseburger.
That was indeed the entire point of the whole idea she got to escape, from discovering the photo.
That burger looked so delicious
My sister is a pastry chef in Savannah where the movie was filmed. She was a chef in this movie. She is in the clip serving the food critic a plate at the table.
Cool! Congrats to her,!
Loved the looks of disdain the sous-chefs gave Tyler as he self-destructed in front of them...
Chef status: cemented.
The reason why he chose and invited the actor was HILARIOUS
Who hasn't been pissed off going to see a crap movie having wasted your time and money?! Lol
I love that his reasoning ranged from somewhat justified (in a deranged line-of-thinking) to "wtf... you're killing him over that?!"
I think it was interesting to show that yes, this guy is irrational, with over movies, like saw, the bad guy is almost put on a pedestal becuase they are punishing bad guys, yet you still find a way to sympathise with Slovik
I don't think the reason was just because he didn't like the movie, much like the chef the actor is an artist, and the actor defiled the art of his craft by allowing himself to play a role in a movie that was essentially to generate money, his conversations with his assistant also show some other traits that are common in other "takers" personalities that make him fit there.
I felt so bad for the actor’s assistant. Lol 😂
I also think that because everyone apart from margot comes from a privileged background, they didn’t attempt to survive or fight back much because they are just not used to having to fight for things. When you have everything and u can easily get things other people can’t for survival, for their needs and wants, you get complacent. And this is what i interpreted by the businessman’s wife gesturing for margot to leave.
They have no clue how to survive
There is fight or flight and we can’t control it Why did that not kick in for them ?. I’m watching this video but haven’t watched the movie yet. Your comment just caught my eye. This is my response before seeing the movie let’s see after. I’m sure I’ll agree :) . Thx
@@Aioki.Germany i think their fight or flight response did kick in based on their reactions but they gave up easily bc they couldn’t throw money at this problem like they would with maybe other problems
@@voguishramsh - Exactly 😉💰🚫 Money wasn't gonna get them outta this situation, so they didn't know what else they COULD do. They buy their way through life, and wouldn't have the faintest clue how to fight for survival.
I interpreted the businessman's wife gesturing as more of just giving her permission. Margot seems to have a moment of guilt about abandoning everyone, and the woman recognizes that and tells her "it's okay, go." It was interesting to see other interpretations though.
I don't think Margo asked for a cheeseburger merely because she could enjoy it unironically, but also because she saw Slowik's old employee of the month photo from when he started out flipping burgers. She could see that, even with a humble beginning like flipping burgers, he still felt joy, instead of the emptiness he felt as a luxury chef at the pinnacle of his craft. In addition, as a sex worker, Margo probably has the emotional intelligence to sense what it's like inside a man's head (at least with respect to straight men). (We know Slowik is straight because of how he sexually harassed Katherine.) I think she figured out from Slowik's employee of the month photo that asking for a burger would mess with Slowik's head & unrattle him. That gave her the psychological opening she needed to role play & negotiate her way out of the situation, which ultimately saved her life.
I would have asked for a can of spam.
It’s also ironic that the most meaningful dish to be served in the film is arguably the most simplistic. The cheese burger isn’t some meticulously assembled micro-dish. It’s not meant to be hyper analyzed or critiqued by some pseudo intellectual yuppie. Despite this, it’s the only dish in the film that Margot enjoys and the only dish that chef gets seems to get pleasure out of preparing.
Cheeseburger are comfort food, Chef basically needed a hug
You watched a video of explaining the ending..lmao at ur simp as trying to come off wise..lol
I thought that, having seen the photographs, she ordered it because she knew it would make him find joy in cooking again, and in gratitude, he would let her go
I loved the part when the chef accepted the role he played in creating a toxic work environment and how he took his punishment, the same way he punished his dad.
Honestly Slowik is the biggest fraud in that room. He had enough power to just walk away and setup a new burger place that would make him happy, but instead he decided to terrorize and victimize other people along with idiot yet loyal chefs.
be like Margot, learn to step away. You don't save an already burning house, you take your passport and get out.
There is a deleted scene where the critic rediscovers him making food in a korean taco truck so that wasn't really an option, basically meaning that he couldn't escape.
Well said but not a perfect analogy, because burning house is more than an object and includes responsibility such as the others in it; you try to bring the people out too than simply take your passport and leave. Maybe use don't eat expired gourmet food? No matter how luxurious it is, learn to throw it away if you find it foul; the expiring do link to his expiring passion.
It had to be said and was said
Slowik didnt find the confident about his beloved burger because his environment doesnt allow that. He finally found Margot but it was too late to step back.
But he didn't want to set up a burger place, he loved fine dining. The burger place is where he found his love for cooking but he found is creative self through fine dining. It gave him an identity, recognition, creative fulfillment and financial success. The entire reason why he goes out the way he does is because he's punishing the very people that abused his industry (including himself). He not a fraud, he's stuck to his ideals.
My favorite part of the movie was when Chef asks the assistant what school she went to and she says, “Brown.” He then asks if she had student loans and when she says “No,” he says, “You die.” 😂
I love that part too! The chef was so decisive haahhahaah!! But sadly I don't get the context out of it:( Would be glad if you could help explain! I'm not sure if it implies that she got into Brown because it was help paid for by her "sugar daddy" actor ...
@@Elly_saysit’s basically just the entire concept he has of givers vs takers, the decision he gives Margot, and calling her a taker when she calls for help. The women never had to work for anything, and of course he is taking it to the extreme, but in his mind she’s an obvious example of people stepping over the ‘givers’ to have a life without of work. There’s also the fact that she admits earlier in the film that she was stealing from her partner, and I’m sure the chef already was aware of that since he obviously did back ground checks on everyone but Margot, so the no student loans/you die thing was just a formality
Me too!! It was so funny! I knew she was going to say no to the student debt but I was like “say yesss!!”
This was the funniest part to me. I screamed 😂😭
@@Elly_says Brown University is one of the most expensive schools in the country. The fact that she paid for it without using student loans means she is wealthy and privileged. Hence she dies 😂
I think a lot of us have sneaked out for a late night cheeseburger after dumping a lot of money on unsatisfying, tiny, morsels of fine dining. That part spoke to me personally.
💯
Hahahah yess
@@OneTakeVids Jeremy's death is meant to represent the high rate of suicide by chefs. The highest among any hospitality profession
@@OneTakeVids the movie star convation about new food tv show with Felicity is just a dig at channel like Food Network. Where people like Bobby Flay, Guy Fiery,..etc are more known for their celebrity rather then their food
Bang bang 😂
And the fact that Tyler had been corresponding w/the Chef for months AND originally invited his gf says a lot about his back story.
Sounds as though he knew she was on the verge of leaving him so planned this extravagant gesture hoping she’d not refuse. But he really was, in essence, planning a murder/suicide.
So the chef would have known that. In the end, I find it so interesting that the Chef was so incensed by Tyler’s arrogance, lack of respect, lack of humanity, and dishonesty that he wasn’t willing to “serve up”Tyler’s death. He decided Tyler would cook his own food and kill himself by his own hand. In the chef’s twisted, sick mind, Tyler wasn’t “worthy” of being part of the final course.
I noticed this too! Tyler’s punishment was that he was not worthy to partake in the full experience.
So why did Tyler willingly went to the restaurant despite knowing that only he would be killed and his girlfriend would be spared because she didn't went with him? And why was he so obsessed with the chef so much that he kill*d himself by just a single order from the chef?
@@coldplayfan7357 i think he was so arrogant that he thought that this is a "punishment" for all the fake foodies and he can prove that he is a "true foody" and be spared for it.
@@coldplayfan7357 Basically he was a psychopath whose life was completely devoid of meaning except for his idolization of Slovik. So much so that Slovik's approval or acknowledgement was far more important to him than his own life.
@@goazer2 It would have been great if the film could have explained his obsession over the chef
Tyler knew he was going to die and still took photos. There was no cell signal on the island, so he couldn't post or send them. He didn't take them to show to people. He took them because he'd be the kind of guy to think 'that's what you do with good food'
I'm a former prof chef who worked in restaurants like this much of my career. The movie is partly about class - those who expect to be wowed for just showing up but who scoff at the ones they expect to do their wowing. Its a big reason why I left the Industry because I got tired of feeling I was catering to the whims of the obnoxious, who didn't understand the work and dedication that went into procuring the food and making the meal. The skill is more than about cooking technically. Chefs have to be mental mathematicians, project managers and low-key chemists.
I also remembered that everyone deserves high quality food, not just rich ppl. I grew up very poor and it became an affront to me to look out to the guests and no one looked like me or like they came from where I come from. It's not the entirety of the movie but that's the subject matter that really grabbed me.
Have you ever thought of doing community outreach like helping with food pantries or teaching cooking basics to people who didn't grow up with family that could teach them to cook? Something where you get to be around food and give back and don't have to deal with the same type of snob?
About 20 yrs ago I dined in a restaurant in Aspen Colorado. The place was full of wealthy trust fund babies who all fell silent when my wife and I walked in and were seated. I felt out of place but the staff there buzzed around us and we were served enthusiastically. I heaped praise on them for the food, the experience, and how wonderful they made us feel. Some how we got lots of extras and a free dessert. None of that was asked for and it was all delivered with bubbling smiles. I asked for the bill, which I expected to be pretty large, and it was just a pittance of a sum. I left as big a tip as I could afford. I didn't need this movie to remind me of what I learned that day, People who serve like to be appreciated for the service they provide.
I laughed out loud so much during this, especially when Tyler is made to cook lmao the chefs commentary during that was so good
Tyler’s BS 😂
Never laughed that loud in the cinema lmao
That scene is what so many people are towards anything - art, movies, music, fashion. Expecting perfection, or demanding it, but when it comes to their own efforts, or even their own efforts at their own work, they of course are hardly that.
the movie was hilarious
God that was golden 😂 the humor in this film was so S tier
One of the best parts of the movie for me is that the movie made me feel okay with everyone dying. Generally, the audience wants to root for the people to survive. This movie made me feel different.
They all kinda understood why they had to go too at the end. No one really fought back anymore after they decided to put the fake cop in danger rather than send him home safe to his family.
This movie was garbage. Don’t think you’re clever because you think you “got” something. It was a vapid, boring story with a stupid ending.
@@davidsantacarla Alright, tell us when your movie comes out. Can’t wait to watch it
@@LambentEntertainment i disagree with the guy but thibkong you cant critcize a movie without having made one is really stupid
@@Silva-avliS yes I absolutely can. Your average audience doesn’t understand how difficult it is to make a film, and a lot of their standards are harshly high because of it. A lot of these “critics” will say a movie is garbage without actually knowing how to make it better. If you’re going to give criticism, at least be constructive. Saying something is “garbage” without thinking you yourself can fix the problem is counterproductive and it’s just spreading hate.
The Menu, triangle of sadness , glass onion, the white lotus... these recent years have been great for satires. Ralph Fiennes proved his class once again. ate up every frame he was in. such a goddamn Good actor
USia is dying for sure. Looking forward to the final show.
Glass Onion was a bust for me. The whole twin thing is so played out it’s almost a jumping the shark thing. And the stereotypical characters were laughable and not as a clever joke like they wanted but just ridiculous. Edward Norton whom I usually love was awful and made the same OMG face the whole time. I was very disappointed and even went into it with zero expectations. White Lotus season 1 was great and I’m about to watch season 2.
@@HeatherHolt u should. white lotus just won globes for season 2. second time straight
@@HeatherHolt I mean, that's the point with glass onion, isn't it? there isn't really a point. It's not that deep. That's what makes it deep. Or at least I remember it that way.
It isn't about this great mastermind who executed an amazing and brilliant plan. He's just an idiot. There isn't much logic behind it. It's silly. They all are.
@@karry299 nah, though it depends on how you look at it. Did you think the growing pains were ever going to stop? Not how it works: stress advances new solutions to the never-ending problems. Survival is easier than dying, isn't it? The problem with existential dread is that you know what could happen; it's wisdom bursting at the seams.
That whole 'Brown with no student loan' line of questioning was hilarious... It was great because she just accepted it - she totally knew why.
I'd like to note that Slowik says to Margo that she shouldn't be here tonight not as a diss but as a mercy. "You aren't the sinner here"
I kinda got the impression that when he asked Margo to get the barrel from the smokehouse, he was low-key giving her a chance to escape. But, because he HAD to have EVERYTHING that night meticulously planned, her escaping had to be in context of "his plan" for the evening. He couldn't just let her escape, he had to give her an order to leave the building, chancing that she'd never come back. He could always tell the other woman (I forget her name... Elsa?) to go get the barrel if Margo escaped.
@@suddenlysarablogtrue I truly thought she would try to leave cause she is not like the group, she killed the lady and went back... even after dude offed himself. I get that is a normal thing to do is call for help. But I guess I'd want to get to safety first then call. 😅
But they would have still been dead bout time help would have arrived I guess 😅
Hi there! Your analysis is incredible, and I just wanted to share an additional thought!
I’ve worked in the fine dining industry for years, and my coworkers who’ve seen the movie unanimously interpret another, non-conflicting layer of satire in this film. I really feel this movie is also a satire of how the fine dining industry cannibalizes itself; elevating food to the point of absurdity, giving their crew less and less work-life balance until the line no longer exists, becoming cult like, and ultimately, in some cases, killing their employees, via stress, neglected mental health, or constant subjection to dangerous work conditions. I really felt like The Menu held up a grisly mirror to what restaurants can become.
I really agree with your interpretation! I just feel there’s another layer that’s pointed specifically at people who work in restaurants. I’m not that articulate, but I just thought I’d share my thoughts!
Well put. I like your interpretation 😊
Every worker in the dining industry should watch this movie 😁
This may have highlighted the restaurant industry, but I feel it translates to the service industry in general, thus Chef's original sense of camaraderie with Margot. Also, it struck me that when Tyler was tripping because the sous chef knew his name, Margot pointed out that Tyler didn't ask him his name.
The scene with Jeremy (the staff member who shoots himself) reminded me a lot of the experiences faced by Carmy in The Bear, cooking in high class restaurants.
That's very unfortunate. As The Princess and The Frog is one of my favorite films of all time, it reminds me how tiring Tiana's work life was at the beginning of the film. Hopefully, we can assume she treats her staff well at the restaurant she gets at the end.
I'd like to think that even the cheeseburger is well calculated move by Slovik. We all already know that he planned the evening meticulously, until he met Margo/ Erin. I'd like to think that during the 15 minutes he gave her to think which side she's on, he's already thinking of a plan B, and slowly putting his plan in motion. To ask her to get the barrel, and asked Elsa to give her the keys, well knowing that that will piss Elsa off and get them into a conflict. Leading to Margo finding the room, his humble beginnings, and also to radio Dale (big LOL moment). Love the tiny detail where he put out the candle too with his hand just for Dale to light it back up. And then finally, the look on his face when Margo finally made the order, it seemed to me as thou this is what he really desired, that he's so glad that his plan worked out, where Margo would be the only person to be able to pull this off, and he is able to partake in the joy of preparing food for a customer one last time before the finale. (Also note that he mentioned he doesn't remember the last time he actually cooked for a customer). Just my two cents, or maybe I'm just over complicating this. Great film nonetheless
Ohh I love this interpretation that he really meticulously set everything up! I love the thought that he wanted to serve one real customer who is able to just appreciate the simple taste and enjoyment of having simple, comforting, delicious food before he set everything on fire. It's like that thing where you have your life flashes before your eyes, just moments before you die. Good observation!
That's very interesting, it does make sense also with how he dealt with that one chef by having her killed for her jealousy
No this is so excellent Ty for this
I agree with this idea especially because Elsa tells Margo that the Chef never told her to get the barrel but rather he forgot
I honestly agree with this perspective as well. The whole fake out with the cop could have only been planned rather than something made up on the spot so it's not too far off to say the whole thing was planned as well.
13:40 The business mans wife probably gestures Erin (Margot's real name) to leave because she reminds her of their deceased daughter. You can see it at the beginning of the film where the lady was pointing at Tylers table and she kept pointing at Erin saying " she looks like Claire". It could be a possibility that the lady might be aware of her husbands sexual abuse towards their daughter ( which could be one cause of her early death) so allowing Erin go is a way for forgiveness and also to alleviate the guilt. But that is just my two cents.
Omg I didnt think of that
She ( Taylor Joy) did say that he asked her to say that she was his daughter when he hired her.
where the fuck did you get this from
Crap. I missed that.
I thought I was the only one that noticed incestual abuse (I thought from an accident, or that Erin was their runaway daughter until she mentioned to Slovik that he said along the lines of "Be my daughter" and it clicked. I loved that you added the mother telling her to leave as a gesture to her daughter, giving her repentance (nice boost w/ death by fire: purifying). loved this observation 🖤
There are few but VERY powerful moments in the script that shed a glimpse into the deep-seated trauma of the Chefs relationship with his parents and the dysfunctional childhood that forged his personality and let's the audience know that this is a guy who genuinely tried to follow his passion in life but was ultimately corrupted and destroyed by the never-ending shittiness of other human beings and finally snapped.
I think there is some real nuance in this film between Margo and the Head Chef. I particularly liked the theme of us vs them and the recognition that Margo was also a provider and not a taker. Chef makes the decision early on that she is a taker and categorises her with the guests but as Margo proves later on, she, like chef, is also a master of her craft. Her craft is to find whatever makes her customer happy and highten that experience for them (which i think was another subtle reason we were told about the rich mans fantasy). She does this with chef when she sees him as a burger flipper and ultimately plays on this to provide chef with a pleasurable experience. I think part of the reason chef let her go was because in that moment he realised she IS a provider and an equal to him, a master of her craft.
but she takes their money
@@handfuloflight so does the chef and he considers himself a giver
Anya Taylor Joy has quickly become one of my favorite up & coming actors
You could say she's already pretty successful. Played in a lot of movies already
Amazing in everything she’s in! I recently saw The Witch 🤯
Loved her in Peaky Blinders
shes really bland? not sure whats so special about her besides that shes probably blowing most big directors in hollywood
She’s past up and coming she’s a star 🌟 I loved her in mutants.
In case you are interested here are the restaurants that are "mocked" in The Menu:
*Noma* in Copenhagen (The mention of the “perfectly unripe” strawberry is from the chef of *Noma),* *Blue Hill* at Stone Barns, *Mugaritz* in the Basque Country, *The Willows* in the Pacific Northwest, chef Francis Mallmann’s private island *La Isla* off the coast of Patagonia.
The spice racks are replicated from the kitchen at the now closed restaurant *El Bulli,* house made granola in gift bags are from *Eleven Madison Park.*
The single raw scallop perched on a craggy rock surrounded by carefully tweezed seaweed and algae is a replicate of a dish at *Atelier Crenn.* Crenn developed the menu for the movie. Finally, the amuse-bouche served on the boat is a reference to a signature dish from chef Thomas Keller at *Per Se.*
Couple more: the smores dessert is mocking the table top dessert at Grant Achatz' Alinea, and the passard egg was a play on the arpege egg
Also, the aged dairy cow is from magnus nilsson, chefs table season 1 episode 1.
The ecosystem of food concept and the elaborate inorganic food incorporated plating takes notes from from Peruvian restaurant Central, in chefs table season 3.
They also mocked Alinea, grant Achatz’s Chicago restaurant with the final dessert! I recognized that technique right away
Just a question of interest: how do you know all that? Are you wealthy enough to dine at those places?? This kinda feels like first hand impressions
I'm impressed! Thank you for these points. Made me want to look them up 🥰
I was in an abusive relationship with a man who was like Tyler to a scary degree. Certain lines like him telling her not to smoke so that she wouldn't ruin her palate made me very uncomfortable, but watching his end was very therapeutic.
Sorry to hear that. For me, on 1st viewing, Tyler's personality was the most hilarious! Obsessive to the point of obliviousness (or maybe not caring)--chowing down while others were being maimed or committing suicide. Despite the disturbing incidents, like a true foodie, taking a deep breath he closes his eyes to maximize mindfulness, to catch the mouthfeel of this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
@@sirpoopalot6420I thought he was funny too till we found out he already knew he was gonna die, then he became creepy lol
The moment he tapped-swatted her hand on the boat, I was READY for him to die 😒...such an asshole move. I was hoping the sous chef would have taken him out when he kept questioning him....
@@bajabl He also knew he was gonna die in Mad Max & sacrificed himself willingly. Maybe he thought this was a noble sacrifice in some psychopath type of way.
@@JC-li8kk - Or it was suicide/murder by restaurant. Remember, he invited his (ex) GF there knowing fully well they’d both be killed. Makes me think the GF had had enough of Tyler (if she was ever his GF at all) and wanted him out of her life. So he decides to pull the plug on both of them, trying to lure her in with an extravagant, exclusive dinner.
Had she chosen to relax her resolve for the sake of extravagance, she would have made the chef’s guilty pretentious user list and died. But she didn’t.
Margo couldn't believe it worked. He actually made a cheeseburger and asked if she wanted fries too. Then when she asked if she could get it to go. She was amazed at how well it went. Even as she walked out the door and to the boat she couldn't believe he let her go
The boat runs out of gas. Maybe she dies too, after being stuck in the middle of the sea with no help.
I think the beef was poisoned.
Notice her expression as she swallows the burger in the boat
You left out the mother. Also, Chef relates a story of abuse from his childhood in Iowa, then later states he 'grew up in Bratislava'' while Erin says she's from Massachusetts only to have Chef later refer to her as 'Erin from Nebraska'... the villain and the final girl are both as fake in their origins and personae.
For me Ralph Fiennes deserves an award for his performance in this movie. Probably the best movie that is not sci/fi that has been made in the last couple of years.
Yes he did a really good job
yeap, the only good thing about the movie is his act
the little noises he made on his lines were so natural and they were not scripted
Ralph Fiennes has deserved an award ever since Schindler's List. The guy is brilliant in everything he's in. It's a travesty he hasn't received an Oscar yet.
@@finrodfelagund3968 EVERYTHING about this movie is great, bud.
@@finrodfelagund3968 so pompous
You forgot to mention that making a burger was the only thing chef liked to make. The only time he truly smiled in the whole movie was while he made the burger and in the picture that Margot found in his room.
Well, take her profession into consideration; her job is to find out what makes people happy and make them feel pleasure. That’s what she did with him, found out the source of his unhappiness, brought it to the forefront and then made him do something he loved.
And the actor interpretation whyle he made the burguer and let Erin/Margot go was pricelessm, that really moved me. Great acting from both!!
@@alexman378 OMG YOURE SO RIGHT!! Yessss and it’s even more powerful how chef’s job is the exact same! To pleasure his guests and he’s deeply desolated when he doesn’t please someone with his food. This movie captures the evils of perfectionism so well!
I disagree, it is not the only thing he likes to make but it was something that she really wanted and realized she saw the picture. He appreciated the truth from her and that she asked for something he knows well. I am sure he has enjoyed other dishes and meals.
Erin knowing what she wanted and knowing what he wanted made him happy.
I watched this movie with my boyfriend and I used to be a pastry chef. Praise my boyfriend for being a saint while we sat in a red lobster and I was RAVING about the attention to detail and the symbolism of everything. I took it all as a symbolism of how hard and long it takes to go from cook to chef and the ups and downs of the culinary industry period. The food culture thing also got to me heavyyy because no one really eats our food for enjoyment it’s just for a cute insta pic (as Tyler so graciously shows us lol) and idk I’m rambling rn bc I loved this movie definitely would watch again and probably going to.
Why don't you just say husband. Like wtf. Boyfriend.
@@ps4games164sorry what you make no sense lol
@@flowersbloom4262
Too many say boyfriend/girlfriend. Crazy.
@ps4 games Do you know her? Or are you the husband? 😅
He is my boyfriend not my husband lol
The most hilarious thing about “Tyler’s Bulls**t” is that Tyler could’ve easily made a simple dish. He could’ve assembled a sandwich, fry an egg, even make a freaking salad. But he was so desperate to impress Chef Slowick that he tried and failed to create a dish that was way out of his league. The dish represents what Tyler was the entire movie. A failure.
Margo (Erin's) final act of ordering a cheeseburger was one of the best endings I've seen in a film. I've seen so many different "takes " on this scene and explanations for why it saved her life, but I think the message is rooted in one service industry person working for another service industry person for an affordable rate. Erin is a working class social servant who is only at the restaurant because she was hired by a super wealthy man. When she sees the photo of Chef working at a burger joint, it is the only picture that shows him smiling. She is able to understand this joy as only another service industry person can--the joy of serving kind customers who also are working class servants. As a lifelong public servant who -*-barely-*- makes a living, I relate to this on a deep level. I have worked hard in my field for over 12 years and because of my financial needs (medical, housing, etc), I have needed to find employment in a wealthy town in order to make enough. I work for rich elites who treat me like trash, but I am able to push past that part of my job and remember that I serve nature and the public as a whole before anything else. When Chef cooks the cheeseburger, he is cooking for a person in the working class who will appreciate and savor the food for the sake of the food itself. And beyond the incredible flavors of a well-made classic cheeseburger, it also fulfills the most basic human need: hunger. Because Erin is a working class person who has been forced to serve her entire life to survive, she has real hunger at the restaurant. She is hungry not only for food, but for life itself. By surviving and fighting for life, we become hungry for life in ways that the wealthy elite will never understand. Much like mortality, surviving gives music to the blankness of temporal existence on earth. When Erin savors and enjoys the cheeseburger, Chef is able to finally serve someone he respects after a long road into darkness from serving only the wealthy and losing his purpose. When she asks for it "to go", he realizes that she is not part of the Menu he created for that night and finally allows her to leave in order to finish the meal as designed. She is saved because she is the only person still hungry to live and eat. The rest of the group is emptied from the sheer uselessness of their existence and lack of experiencing need. I have a short anecdote from my own life that helps to summarize my analysis. In 2019, I moved to one of the richest towns in Vermont to work for a tree company as a climbing arborist. The company paid me $18/hour and I lived in a tiny apartment and rode my bike to get around. I barely made enough to survive because the cost of living in the area was very high. Eventually I made a few friends and one of them was the great-grandson of Irving Berlin. He had been given a nice house in the mountains by his wealthy father and his family had paid for all his expensive rehab (from drugs) and most everything else. He worked as a bartender in order to "get life experience" as part of the deal for getting a free house. He paid for almost nothing. One day, after seeing a movie together, we were driving back and he literally said (outloud) that he wished he "could suffer like me". He went on to say that he had never struggled or fought for money in his life and felt he was missing out on the experiences I had as a lower class person trying to make it. He said that he wished he could have the same kind of fear and anxiety around existence so that he could actually enjoy his life in a more holistic way. Needless to say, it took my entire self-control to stop myself from yeeting out of his moving vehicle. I never wanted to hang out with him again because it was the most tone-deaf, ignorant speech I had ever heard (since this occurred I have heard worse, unfortunately). But one thing stuck with me-- he truly didn't understand what it meant to live fully. He didn't understand the fight to survive or the joy of succeeding in small ways as you grow. Even though he will always have more material comfort and money, I have something greater: substance and drive. I have the flavor of life because I truly understand what it feels like to want to die from the suffering and then rise out of the ashes of that ruin and want to live. He can burn with the rest of the vile and corrupt wealthy classes. The Menu is one of my favorite films of all time because it was a true love letter to the modern serving class. It isn't for the rich. They will never understand or enjoy the flavor of this meal because it is only for those who have experienced the hunger.
Well said!! Thank u for ur analysis
Such a good take
This is why the first album of every artist is their best work because it is pure and comes from a real place. The same is true for many I know in the arts
I love this comment. I’ve been working in kitchens since I graduated high school barely surviving through college. I’m surrounded by a lot of friends and students who have everything paid for them and it’s tough.
Thank you so much for writing this and sharing your analysis and experiences. You really hit at the heart of the film, while gifting us with a great story of your own. I wish all the best for you.
I loved this movie! I ultimately thought of it to that her being able to leave was not only due to the fact that she was worthy of doing so but ultimately because she ordered from a different menu he made it clear that everyone who came to experience the menu was going to die that night and the fact that she ordered, ate and paid for something different to me was like this is exactly why she gets to leave
To paraphrase another movie about a woman overcoming rich people's bull sh_t:
'She won not by playing Slovik's way, but by playing her way.'
Well, yeah thats kinda the point. She showed she was a common person by paying for a common meal.
Mind blown
A cheeseburger being 9.95 for being ordered medium and with American cheese was a nice touch as most burger places put cheddar as it's inexpensive.
@@murk4552 American is even cheaper lol
I love your analysis, I thought it had a lot of great insights. Just wanted to mention that one of the staff members, Katherine, actually does name Chef Slowik by name, which I found interesting because it seemed to intentionally break the illusion of Slowik as this god like entity and make him a flawed human again
As a former chrf I strongly identified with the taker/givers system, it was exactly what I felt. It did not matter how much I could climb the ladder within my profession, in the end I would always end up serving others to the detrimental of my own life and wellbeing. And matter how mich my clients praised my work they will never see me as an equal but ad someone whose time and labor belonged go them. Even if I could make more money than some of them, ironically.
Margo shocking the main villian back to his humanity by making him cook her a burger that he used to love to cook was the chef's kiss of the movie. She figured out how to survive and manipulate the bad guy in one hard hitting sentence
You barely mentioned the s'mores. A crude cheap snack magnificently transformed by fire. I lmao at that scene all the while Margot is chomping her cheeseburger.
A crude, cheap snack that was originally made around a campfire, while having fun with friends, but then became a trend in the food world where it lost all of it's soul.
I think the beef was poisoned or went bad. Notice her terrified gulp as she swallows the Burger 😊
Did anybody notice how Tyler actually almost slipped up mentioning how they were gonna die. He waves Margot off saying “it doesn’t matter…” and trails off. I only noticed my second time watching lol
What? Can you explain? What did she say?
The chef knew he was going to let her go. He puts a finger from the business partner in each gift bag, he knew Tyler would kill himself and he would let Margo go. So the remaining 10 guests would each get a finger
When did he do that?
@@lalat5899 After he drown the man bro
there would have been enough for everyone to get a finger
But she wasn’t supposed to be there, and he had already planned on killing the investor. Plus didn’t she also get a gift bag? And weren’t there 11 guests? Minus Tyler that’s 10. One person for each finger
@@F76CCthe only to go bag she actually had was just the cheeseburger
Given how Slowik purposefully identified her as a giver, as one of "them", revealed Tyler and introduced 'Tyler's Bullshit' as part of the menu even though it wasn't a planned part of the course, and gave Margot the chance to 1) grab a weapon from the smoke house and 2) enter Slowik's own cottage (think about the barrel he mentioned, even though Elsa said he never ordered such a thing), I definitely think Slowik formed his own other plan to free Margot alone when he realized she wasn't part of the plan, and, was innocent out of the whole bunch. He had painstakingly planned everything- even the possibility that someone would trespass into his own cabin (perhaps during men's folly) and find the walkie-talkie. I mean, when the conversation unfolded of him declaring Margot was in fact not a giver but a taker, it made her be in the position of requesting anything to the staff. It was a chance Margot instinctively caught, and although Slowik strives to complete the menu, it's also because of the people involved that makes him devote himself to the work. Once it's started you can't quit, you know? Complete destruction or another epic ruin in life, this time for the staff as well. Slowik letting Margot out for the barrel was him giving a chance for her to escape, and Margot chanced that escape by not fighting her way out but expecting help through the walkie-talkie, which angered Slowik..since that just ruins the menu altogether. But her piecing the clues together to request the hamburger was her own shot, and Slowik definitely knew he would let her live once it was mentioned.
But personally I want to talk about Elsa more, since she seems to be left out during this hypothesis. When Elsa introduced the guests around the island she said that only the chef can enter his cottage alone - but as it turns out, she happens to be inside Slowik's cabin even before Margot actually enters. And she tries to kill Margot screaming that she will not let Margot replace her, AND she happens to have the very key to the silver door - where Slowik's bedroom is. So comcluding, I first thought Elsa was simply a very enthusiastic zealot into Slowik's food cult/religion, but now I'm also thinking she may be Slowik's personal prostitute as well. No offense, but considering how there's a bed outside the silver door (in the replica of Hawthorne) when there's another bed inside the silver door's cabin, I think it could be an unimplied setting of Hawthorne. I mean, Slowik tried to sexually assault his sou chef. Twice. And Margot(Erin) is an escort, so if Elsa is involved in sexual relationship with Slowik, it might understand the rather mad violence Elsa showed before she died. Although it wouldn't be wrong to say that the staff is just a terribly mad bunch altogether.
And at some point he said to Margot that he recognized a "service worker"
Yo damn, nice observation
You got alot of time on your hands man
If she was his call girl- wouldnt he know that he had seen her before?? And she would know that too. It wasnt the case here. And he recognized her as a service worker because of her manners! Her ability to be authentic and not pretentious. That’s how he knew.
@@TheBakingGirlShow indeed, she was the only authentic not entitled guest, and he noted she was really uncomfortable
Another layer that I read into the Margot storyline is how if you are not part of the elite, not only do you need to outsmart them but also people your own class, or that is what is imposed by the system.
This movie actually left me speechless. I can’t explain it to anybody. 😂
I thought I was a deep thinker until I saw this breakdown. I’m embarrassed at how lazy I was in analyzing this movie while watching it. Now I have to watch it again to fully appreciate it.
I'm with you but "cliché" comes to mind.
Comedy and suspense are all about the release of tension. They are genres that fit very naturally together (see everything made by Jordan Peele).
Always frustrated when people are all "who expected Jordan Peele to be good at scary"; have they seen Key&Peele? There is some scary stuff in that.
A dark humor. A common horror theme in korea and they pulled it off.
Yes!! And that's not even getting into all the comedic actors who have the chops to carry thrillers too (and vice versa). Both are masters of timing and setup
I think Ann telling Erin to leave is also influenced by her previous statement in the movie that Erin looks like their daughter. There could be a element of maternal instinct to her actions.
This movie was so entertaining and had me guessing at every turn. The part that struck me was seeing Slowiks "employee of the month" plaque and that genuine smile on his face just making a burger.
Really good video . One thing I looked at differently was the scene where the chef was explaining to everyone that they could of probably escaped if they tried. I took it as the chef was talking to the viewers that they could have of escaped but we all want to see what happens next and that’s why they didn’t try hard to leave even at the ending, not becuz they excepted their fate but that the viewers were being represented by the customers and that no matter how bad things were getting ,their curiosity kept them put
I think Judith Light’s character knew her husband did something to their daughter (some reference to incest), and so she definitely is okay with dying than going on with that knowledge. The others just didn’t think they could escape.
The actor being told he just wasn’t good was hilarious😅
I got the same vibe about her. It wasn't denial. She knew but hadn't fully come to terms with it yet. She also struck me as an incredibly weak individual because every time she asked about Margot her husband would shut it down and she would just take it. If you watch her closely it's almost like the guilt of her husband abusing their daughter was eating her alive. She looked so sad and miserable. The husband too! At certain times he couldn't even look her in the eye.
@@racheljohnson7177 weak? No. Defeated. Guys like that usually abuse the whole family. You don't know what she went through
They cut off his wedding ring finger. Which was a very meaningful gift for his wife.
I think you could argue equally that the diners chose to stay with Chef because it is the ultimate ending for those seeking out status and who are full of hubris. To die alongside Chef and his staff shows they were selected for his ultimate piece de triumph, his complete menu, his fantastical and fanatical last comment on everything, food, art, takers and givers. It all turns to shit in the end! What an honour to be selected for his final opus! Imagine the coverage the event would get after words get out that this genius celebrity chef worked out individual details of each guest as part of his vision! Yes, there's a defeated feel to the ending but I think you could also see their own egos believed they DESERVED to follow the ultimate food experience to the end because their status is all they have.
I can't get the final images of these status-seekers "dressed-up" as S'mores: their straight arms bound to their sides, a shoulder-shawl of marshmallows with a big chocolate cylinder capping their heads, the chocolate melting over the forehead and eyes of the restaurant critic, the movie-star's assistant tasting it with her finger. This is black comedy or fiendish humour!
I think they were just all suicidal or lacked the will to live and the chefs picked them specifically because of that. I cried at the end the second time I watched it because you watch them become comfortable and relaxed with the thought of dying. They were so happy and at peace at the end.
@@Notinuse6685 they'd been put through hell. They probably just gave up because they thought fighting was pointless
Thank you for making a deeper analysis of the story and not just repeating the plot that other videos do. As a bonus, there is something I have not seen mentioned anywhere. The picture on the silver door to chef's room looks like saint George with a spear killing the dragon. There should be some symbolism there.
"In a legend, Saint George-a soldier venerated in Christianity-defeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a human tribute once a year. This was acceptable to the villagers until a princess was chosen as the next offering. The saint thereupon rescues the princess chosen as the next offering."
@@ic9372 Hmm that's interesting because by that analogy, Slovik is both the saint and the dragon- he takes her with the rest of the "village" as a sacrifice, but ultimately lets her go by killing himself. You could also interpret the villagers as the customers and the tribute as the food-- they don't care about throwing away their money until there are consequences they can't pay off, at which point they remain complacent until Margot, someone who objectively is a victim, gets thrown into the mix?
Thank you so much for making a video which explains the movie well and doesn't just mindlessly read out the plot shot for shot. This video actually taught me something and made me look at the movie from a different perspective. The amount of "explained" videos that are just a plot summary is ridiculous.
I agree 💯
The fact that we all tried to understand the film in one clear way simply highlights the truth of the film; giver or eater.
I thought the Chef was a bit over the top until he screamed at the window "THERE ARE NO SUBSTITUTIONS!!!!!" then I immediately flashed back to all my years in restaurants, and the rage made sense 😅😅😅
Pepperoni lovers, no pepperoni, extra cheese!
You already get extra cheese on a cheese pizza!!!!
I love the irony of eat vs taste. Chef gave them a tasting menu, Erin asked for a joyful hamburger she could eat and Chef could deliver with joy. Simple is good.
Interesting thing about this idea of “overanalyzing” art-in music at least, that is exactly how classical “art” music used to be enjoyed. Up to the Romantic period (and in my opinion really up to WW2), the “educated” audience was fulfilled by not just having the music move them emotionally, but by noticing the many clever ways the composer wrote the piece. Composers easily could make “popular” music for the masses, but it’s the details that only the “elite” can enjoy are what elevate the medium into “art.”
Yo mans the drop go brrrrrrrrr
Turning art into content and food (a necessity) into art is definitely the darkly interesting and ultimately depressing core. As someone who enjoys creating I’ve definitely see how social media has turned a piece of art into a single social media post that either garners you your 15 minutes of “fame” or just enters into the void with little to no interactions, a “disappointing failure” from social media’s perspective. Art has always occupied a weird facet of our lives, it’s respected, loved and admired, but also deeply critiqued, politicized, and often forced into the mold of what’s popular during that are, and unless you’re amazing you were often seen as worthless as an artist and forgotten to time. This analysis of the movie really strikes a deeper core with me that just seeing the movie itself did.
Tyler is the best representation of 90% influencers today 😂
There's a moment of beauty in the film where chef makes a cheeseburger... A moment of love and loss, the realization of what was and what has been lost in the fire. Great movie:)
Although this is a movie about food, it became food for my soul as a viewer. Watching this analysis and reading others interpretations is to savour the different layers and flavours of this complex, thought-provoking movie.
My takeaway, was somewhat personal, as i also work in an industry which serves others and i was highly passionate, and told by everyone that i was great. However my goal was ultimately meaningless to reach a promotion as i felt like i had been taken advantage of and burnt out, then passed up when the opportunity finally came… and i lost my passion completely. I continued working somewhere else but the ‘love’ and passion is gone.
When the chef sat Margot down and they discussed how they once both loved to serve people, but it soured and they lost their passion over time, i felt that.
The ‘menu’ was one last hurrah for the chef, to culminate the story of his food and progression, to create one last masterpiece which ‘deconstructs’ his food/career artistry- and a final ‘f u’ to those who contributed to the downfall of his passion (the critiques, the sucks ups, the investors who bought his soul and acted like it was a profit on their own behalf, the rich who didn’t care about the sacrifice put in, etc). They were all a part of the menu of his passion going south (which was the theme that Tyler spoke of, in which he said figuring out the theme of the menu makes it more enjoyable)
Margot was a kindred spirit who felt the same and that was why she didn’t belong there… until she upset him by running away and he felt vindicated to kill her. The chef also stated during the movie, ‘nothing can be perfect’, but Margot choosing to call him out in the end, rectified the mistake in her being there. She was unlike the others by calling him out, challenging him and offering honest feedback which offered him the spontaneity to appease her and prove her wrong, calling back to his early days and giving him back the thing he had wanted more than anything. He had stated earlier that he missed the feeling, but as he made the burger for her, with a smile and near tear in his eye, that feeling was back for a brief glimpse- his long forgotten passion. Her spontaneity in that moment created the perfect moment for him, which shocked him, something that was rare in a crowd of vapid consumers.
She was a mistake on his menu, but she gave him the real taste he had been searching for and provided one last moment of feeling… which is why she was allowed to leave. She wasn’t superficially eating like the others, she provided a reflection/taste of a something lost and he got to savour it. He then concluded his story/menu by taking out everyone in his final masterpiece- a cheers to those who demand the best, but also killed off the best.
Careful you might get iced by some reviewer-hunting producer
Its a satiracle observation of critique ...critique on 3rd party critique ,self critique , critique on creator , critique on creations ,critique on consumers and critique on sponsors of anything that try to turn simplicity in to analysis. Kinf of like this video essay and kind of like my comment. It knew that we would be taking it way too seriously and mimics taking itself seriously so that it can laugh at us and hopefully we can laugh at ourselves . I loved it, the craft being displayed never matters because it can really be applied to any culture that encourages or cultivates fanaticism, we really need more movies that humble our egos as a society that often has these weird narcissistic gatekeepers and overly eager promoters and admirers .
Just from watching the trailer I somehow thought this was going to end in cannibalism because I don't know why but I feel like cannibalism as a topic is kinda in trend at the moment. But I'm so glad it turned out so much better than I expected. I just came back from watching it alone because I thought my boyfriend wouldn't enjoy it (he hates when people die in movies). But everyone who dies deserved it at least a little bit so I might need to watch it again with him.
when it comes to restaurants that are creepy, the usual go to twist is "Surprise the food is human meat!". So that's prolly why you thought that. I thought the same too.
@@firesnakex8 me too
yaaaa i thought the food is the takers.
Yeah my initial thoughts of the trailer was it was gonna be like rusty lake hotel where guests start going missing and each meal is based on the person missing
The Menu is now one of two of my favorite suspense satire movies. The other being Velvet Buzzsaw which has about the same message about the conflict in art and high class society.
The only picture that showed Slowik happy was where he won employee of the month at the burger stand he worked at. That resonated with Margo and was why she asked for a burger. She thought that would bring him back to that place in his life where he loved making food and maybe it would change the current trajectory of death. I loved the movie and thought it was fantastic. When Margo was out on the boat and it ran out of gas made me wonder if this was done on purpose. They'd let one leave to tell the story.
Maybe she dies too, after being stuck in the middle of the sea with no help.
Hands down one of the best written movies I’ve seen in a while I really wish the new MCU movies had this quality of writing
What a weird comparison.
Your comment made me laugh more than the movie🤣🤣😂😂Best written!!! They should put that coast guard officer in MCU! Now that would be unpredictable.
Love how they all still paid in the end. Everyone’s dying, who’s the money going to?? Also, no mention of his mom 😂
I thought, at that point, Anya Taylor-Joy's character had won their freedom, and as it was now just another (jacked up) din, they would just have to pay and then could leave. I guess I misread the Chef's body language? I read it as, oh you scamp - YOU win! Foolish, foolish Suckah🥴
Im a bit shocked that most comments dont seem to grasp that the chef was the most pretentious and insane out of all of them. I see a lot of people saying "Yeah, the guests kind of deserved it" and shit like that when we got scenes explicity spelling out that, no, they dont. This guy is just a lunatic.
Really hope that none of these people ever open up a restaurant or I will have to be afraid for my life simply for forgetting what I ate last time I was there.
Im so glad you wrote that
It's been bothering me for awhile
The cheeseburger escape was great. It shows that things don't need to be complicated to be enjoyed, and remind us to enjoy the smaller things in life.
But also, the part where you say they all call him "Chef" like a god - this is actually how all kitchens work, especially fancy ones with michelin stars.
Everything in this film was my favorite The Menu was really chef’s kiss. It’s got that perfect balance of art, intellectual and comedic timings.
I found the cheeseburger scene relatable af. Worked with many chefs who have had any sort of joy for their art ripped out of them.
Totally on-target interpretation of this film! You opened my eyes to several things about it. Well done! I think Margot asks for a cheeseburger because she knows that is the Chef's true 'art', what actually means something to him...she asks to take it with her, which gives it importance (allowing for the irony of it being merely low-culture food that will soon be eaten or discarded.). That is what allows the Chef to let her go free, because she is young (and perhaps I read too much into this), she can go back to the world with some true understanding of his 'message'
Thanks Jay!!
My favorite part of the movie is when they bring one of the finance bros a cake and he's like "you told them it was my birthday?"
"seemed a lot funnier about 3 hours ago..." 😂
I don’t think they necessarily wanted to die, I don’t think they would’ve accepted their fate that easily at least not in that sense. They accepted their fate because they felt powerless, which is sorta poetic given they always have so much power. They were scared confused and trapped. They’re rich but they’re still human. They waved Erin off because they had accepted their fate and they weren’t going to jeaprodize the chance of atleast one of them escaping. I feel that they in a sense did care for her, but maybe that’s my own personal bias cause I don’t think _anyone_ can ever be truly devoid of empathy.
It was one of my favorite theatrical experiences of the year because of everything you said and because the audience was RESPECTFUL FOR ONCE
Yeah its a rather “white” movie lmao
@@dingo8226 What do you mean by that? The setting of the movie (I could understand why that could be described as "white"), or the movie itself? The later, I wouldn't quite understand.
@@stefangadshijew1682 its a joke. The audience was probably mostly white people. Its a white person movie
I think it’s because this is one of those movies that was made for the arts
@@dingo8226 yeah but this was well needed in today's Hollyweird culture of bs overdone, "on the nose" content. This was rewarding and the social commentary on how content creators and influencers have ruined the joy of art.
I wanted to say that all of the actors playing the kitchen staff who have no lines, but must act with intensity, are exactly what they are to the movie as the character kitchen staff is to the restaurant. When I worked in a restaurant, most of the servers were artists of one type or another. So, actors, musicians and artists are all there at high end restautants.
Someone said that her sister was hired to act as a cook, and she was actually a cook in a restaurant in Savannah
@@dontmakeitbadd Interesting, I once saw a music video from the band Cake in which two of the band members competed in a cooking competition making a meal from pumpkins. The band was demonstrating the connection within the servant/artist/musician class. They are in general a much better class of humanity than the rich.
The sous-chefs in the film were hired for their experience in the food service industry.
I think the ambiguity of this film makes it artistic because of how well executed everything is
"Once you expose how it's done and break it down to its logical components the feeling is gone."
The same goes to this movie. I watched this movie as entertainment yet I was left with confusion about this movie.
But as I watched your video, I want to watch it again to fully understand the meaning and messages of every act they did rather than the plot.
My favorite moments:
* "Tyler's Bullshit"
* "Student loans?" "No." "Sorry, you die."
* The reason why the chef invited the movie star.
The Menu is a classic. Adam McKay has outdone himself again in producer role. Dude doesn't miss
He just produced, more praise should be given to the writers/director
this is like saying harvey weinstein is a genius for producing a lot of tarantino's movies. Granted, tarantino isn't a saint but all credits should be given where it's due. Tarantino can direct AND write good stories, weinstein didn't do shit
Not a talent though. Directing/writing is talent and I think he is genuinely terrible at that.
I felt the movie is a mix between:
- The Clue(1985).
- The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover(1989).
- Midsommer(2019).
I definitely felt like there was some big midsommer influence here but tbh i didnt like that film very much and i loved the menu
the smokehouse gave me midsommar ptsd. i was like 'no, no i cannot go through that again'
@@bella-zk6sy I actually wrote similar of my comment in many videos about the Menu, the funny thing that all the replies talking about Midsommer but no one mentioned talked about Clue or The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover!?
I guess most people in the comments are Gen Z.
There's something about Hollywood actors, directors, and staff creating a movie chastising the pursuit of fame, money, or clout
horror and comedy mix very well. a laugh and a scream is a breath of difference
'The Menu' pointed out how I had become ungrateful lately. I was the only one of my family who liked it, but it reminded me why I must not take anything for granted, because the small things are special, not the money and how much you can buy
My first thought was that he's keeping them all (the workers) in some kind of hypnosis. The way he always clapped. Then she did it which snapped him back to his past and he thought he's still just a cook, that's why he went to do her order so wilingly and let her go.
But it wouldn't explain the ending
I think the point is to give that impression but it’s in the service of showing that when you have people’s utter devotion and loyalty, you don’t even have to hypnotize them, because they eagerly comply for your approval. In addition, clapping/chanting/singing etc. are often used by cults to encourage group bonding and conformity, so it’s probably also a reference to that kind of thing.
@@sydroper4761 absolutely, that would make more sense
Terrific analysis of this stellar film. Just came home from watching it for the second time!
Great review. Loved your perspective.
Wish this movie had a bit more of the humor that was implied in the trailer but absolutely loved the performances and it was fascinating. This was the chef's final supper and a vendetta against these people (specific to him but also symbolic of the systems) that represent what kills (his) art (/artists).
(Greed, Elitism, Pandering, Selling out, Toxic Fandom, Unfair Criticism, Corruption, Indifference, Fear of Irrelevance, Ego, Fear, Passiveness, Unoriginality, Dishonesty, Abuse of power, Exploitation, Failure, etc.)
Would love this concept done a again with more camp but really enjoyed it.
You can just tell the chef was at his happiest when he made her that cheeseburger taking him back when he probably loved doing what he did
I like how Tyler kept taking pics even though he would never be able to show them to anyone