The Drinker Recommends... The Menu
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Food. Isn't it great? But what happens when it becomes more than that? What happens when it becomes an all-consuming quest for perfection, that only the richest of elites can afford?
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The way that cheeseburger was made in the movie made me want to eat a cheeseburger lol
Me too 😀
Same
@@TrevorMoses312 Snap! I went to the local Five Guys straight after.
We've been making cheeseburgers like this since we saw the movie, and they're great.
I started making my burgers this way.
The Menu is what happens when a writer, director and actors come together to make something that will entertain for its sake and not to tick off a huge checklist to please the modern audience.
I mean it's obviously a movie with social commentary along with a fairly diverse cast
@@Sully0020 yeah, but they like it, so it's somehow exempt from the shotgun blast gripe about modern sensibilities.
@@Sully0020 I think he was saying there was no propaganda, e.g. tokenism checklist - where multiple “minority” is showboated so much to the point one would ask if that role is still a “minority” in that film’s universe because it doesn’t feel grounded with our reality anymore - you couldn’t continue suspending your disbelief to enjoy the show. You’re just watching a checklist of tokens.
Bingo
@@matthewcaldwell8100 a movie having a "minority" doesn't make it bad, a movie having a "gay" doesn't make it bad, a movie having a "woman" doesn't make it bad
It's the fact that these people put it as a priority ahead of telling a good story having a great plot or fleshing out characters in interesting ways.
If you honestly can't understand that then there's no hope for you
The same guy who complains about Rey Palpatine also cheers for Alita Battle Angel
So people saying, oh youre sexist because you don't like a female lead are completely missing the point
That little smile that Slowik shows while making the cheeseburger, that little hint of remembering when he enjoyed cooking was awesome, especially because he still went through with his plan after.
He got to experience the joy and innocence of honest cooking right before he has to send it out the door and complete his descent into madness.
I loved it!!!! Great film!!!
Could you imagine a Hollywoodized version where he decides to cancel his whole plan after that scene ?
@@jasonoconner7863 like a marvel film
I liked that making the cheeseburger wasn't enough to save him, but did give him a simple pleasure before executing his big plan.
As always Ralph Fiennes owns every single movie he’s in, he never misses
Fucking legend never misses
Look at him in Schindler's List. He was the personification of the banality of evil.
@@BlckJack123 mark of a good actor who can play evil so well.
Amazing actor
[Coughs] Clash of the Titans.
I like that when Margot goes through Chef Julian's office and sees photos of his accomplishments over the years, his Employee of the Month award from Hamburger Howie's is the only one where he's smiling. It was a perfect underline for how 35 years of working for entitled jerks brought him to that point.
Yep and that it broke him for he loved the art form more so than the money and that is rare.
In my job, every day I understand why people snap and kill their workmates and/or their customers.
Also, the Chef realized that him and Margot are the same since both of their job is satisfy their customers so that's why he gave her a choice whether she wants to die with the staff or with the guest. And ironically, her foodie jerk boyfriend (or how he's supposed to be) who acts pretentious all the time and wants to enjoy every food gets the worst punishment: Hang himself while Margot who doesn't enjoy every food gets the best reward: A Cheeseburger. And contrast to the second dish (I think) where the guests gets breadless bread, she's the only one who got breads in the end, in the cheeseburger and she enjoys it genuinely and gave him $10 tips.
@@margarethmichelina5146 The best part after that is when she asked for a to-go box all because she knew that it would end up in the trash for she figured out his rules(like never waste any food) and she walked out of there a satisfied customer.
Reminded me of Citizen Kane. The only time he was truly happy was as a child riding his sled.
"The cheap one your parents could barely afford."
Jesus, when he said that it took me out of the movie for a moment, felt he was talking to me. I still remember being told to savour it because we can't afford to be eating like that every day.
Back in the 90s Taco Bell had 10 cent tacos every once in while, and my family would load up. I would even bring some to school the next day and face the ridicule of everyone who couldn't understand how stoked I was to have them.
Fuckin A, same here. Took me back to 49 cent cheeseburgers from McDonald's, but couldn't afford fries or drinks, let alone happy meals for me and my brothers.
@carsilk2492 same we had a hotdog restaurant called Valentine here in Québec that would have a special of 3 steamed hotdog for 1$, and when it happened my dad would buy them for my 4 brothers and I! I was always excited because that's the only time we were allowed to pop as well!
Remembering the glory days of Burger Chef, where you could order a 🍔 and dress it yourself at the Fixins Bar...
Makes me realise that as annoying as it could often be to have my wealthy parents buy really cheap food that I had it good compared to most. Particularly if you include the second and third world.
Hope you guys are doing well.
The way he made that cheeseburger had me taking notes and trying it the exact same way.
It was so good, I decided not to off myself in the kitchen.
Double Smash burger with American cheese is the best.
Lololol
Personally, I would've wanted some pickles on that sucker. And more onions.
@@imwithstupid086 He would have off you for that😂
i changed my way to make burgers to this forever
This is precisely why I enjoy the Critical Drinker. You don't get all pretentious and jaded Even when you see the flaws in a movie you still sing its praises where it is deserved. And you call out the hidden gems that get lost in the sea of garbage that is being made today. Thanks Drinker!
As an ex-chef, I can confirm the ending scene with him just making a good burger is quite accurate. We had the regular menu which was fine but we loved cooking the specials. Because they were ours!
We didn't have to do anything except what we loved. Cooking. My first Chef made a banging Cajun Chicken Burger with Grilled Pineapple. The first special I put up was a traditional Meatballs and Pasta with my own sauce that I'd been making at home for 10 years. When we were allowed to just cut loose and do our thing, that was when we turned from cooks into chefs.
I'm a trained chef and still work in the food and beverage industry. This movie hit me in so many ways. Loved it.
Yeah, my son is a WashDC pastry chef who’s worked in two Michelin starred restaurants in the past ten years and he loves this movie. He makes this kind of food-no meat of course.
The mess hits at a whole different level doesn't it?
Absolutely. The Mess literally brought a tear to my eye.
This was one of the first times I found myself rooting for the bad guys 😅
did you make "food" fried in cheap unhealthy oils? 😂
“You don’t cook with love, you cook with obsession.” The single best line in this movie that does such a great job at describing most of what has happened with the culinary industry and the expectations around it.
Personally, speaking from a graphic design background, it seems to happen with most creative endeavours.
"And the worst part, I'm still fucking hungry."
As someone who worked as a professional cook for many years, this movie hit on another level. Slowek's frustration with people being fussy and uptight about food without appreciating the work that goes into it reflects my own, and I'm sure most others in the industry would agree. It's almost cathartic to watch as he tears every single one of them to the bone for their bullshit.
I think it really home same for every artist. I am a storyteller and I want nothing more than to hear how people enjoyed my story. Not try to act all pretentious and psychoanalyze every aspect of the page. And while the film is about food that definitely brings home to most aspects of Art
100 percent; people getting picky about the essence of life, the very things that calorically sustain them is such a drag
@@VoiceNerdin the end it’s all about enjoying the little things in life with family
As a cook, I was rooting for Fines to kill em all(except Taylor ofc.) Like fuck thoese people. The critic who dont know how to cook. The fanboy who only cheers but never hold a knife and the entitled people who are there just because its fancy, not because they enjoy the food. Like fuck all of em....
It's applicable to anyone in the service industry, the innate desire consumers have to treat it as their possession to do with as they please because they paid for it without considering the people who are providing it. Although taken to it's absurd extremity, because film, the way it showed the chef having been ground down to a passionless husk of a man because of dealing with this rubbish his whole career was well done. Good film.
The movie truly brings meaning to: “ The simplest things in life are best”
Basically no, no, don't enjoy cooking complex things. All complexity is tragedy. Its "meaning" is muddled.
Less is more
What I love about the cheeseburger is both Slowik and Margo get what they want in the end. She gets good food as well as leaving with her life, but she also gives Slowik what he asked for at the start of the night: Dont eat, taste. You can tell she made him so happy as she made the "mmm" sounds of enjoyment and chewed it. Didnt say anything other than, "THAT is a cheesburger." All the praise a chef needs.
The greatest compliment to the chef is silence
Well, it’s not an accidental choice to make her an escort. Her job is finding out what makes others happy and to get them there. That’s what the whole thing was about, finding out what made him happy, and bring it to the forefront.
Also what I love is that Slowik tells everyone directly "You will not be getting any bread tonight".
Margo got her bread, the bun on the cheeseburger. The only one to survive, is the only one who was served bread.
@@DamienDarkside I didn't even consider that! Wonderful observation
@@DamienDarkside Furthermore the cheeseburger is a substitution dish, even though Slowik had the investor who owned his restaurant drowned for questioning his menu and the suggestion that Slowik should include substitutions in his menu
Making him break his own rules even further
Nicolas Hoult should be credited here too. One can't help but noticing the parallel between Fury Road and this - being emotionally fulfilled by his idol's acceptance then flush the entire thing down the gutter a minute later.
He didn't do much here but he's great in Renfield. Fury road was just okay and not as great as it thinks.
@@jonfreeman9682It is as great as people say. It is one of the movies that utilises the “show, don’t tell” rule of storytelling to its finest.
I’ve only ever worked in a kitchen, this movie was fantastic. The suddenness of the sous introducing his dish and offs himself was a great scene.
The part I absolutely loved about that scene is when he looks at Slowik, he's deeply sad but not because he's about to off himself, he's sadden by the fact he ever met the man he envied so much. There's almost a sense of pity that he gets to die while Slowik has to live on to finish the menu. That's not only one of the best scenes in recent years it's one of the best I've ever seen in all of cinema.
"I’ve only ever worked in a kitchen"
as opposed to playing in a kitchen?
Makes you feel good to know you would survive.
@@jdsartre9520 bro I see you in multiple comments being snarky and annoying just to be that way😐 why
@@th0rn42 probably low achieving in the real world and likes to feel a sense of superiority being that way
So far, Anya Taylor-Joy is one of the good surprises Hollywood has produced in recent years. She's been one of those weird industry obsessions since Queens Gambit, but I actually like her acting.
love her, and also mia goth and jenna ortega
Agreed - add in Samara Weaving too 👍🏻
Exactly, she's one of those actresses that gets cast in everything just because she's trendy and pretty. EXCEPT, she is actually a really good actress
Just like when you saw the first Adele album cover everyone said she must be able to sing. Ana is so weird looking that you know she must be a good actress.
I knew that the moment I finished watching The VVitch
Anya Taylor Joys character is one that I truly respect as a modern strong female character. She has a reason to survive this horror she’s been shoved into and she in a way finds something to sympathize with the antagonist and brings something out of him that he felt he lost. It did take me a couple watches to appreciate her role. But a second viewing is a must
And that is your first mistake. It is an inverted freak and has nothing to do with strength or womanhood
@@Weenybean. cry about it
@anigerianninja4577you miss the point. she wasn’t supposed to be there to begin with, on top of the fact that she beat the rules that the chef set up with the cheeseburger thing.
@anigerianninja4577you’ve completely misunderstood the movie. He let her go because she reminded him about the long forgotten joy he used to get from cooking. It’s not complicated. Stick to Marvel next time - it should be easier on you.
Every time I hear the words “strong female character” it feels like a part of me dies… She was great (I really dislike the use of strong) the first time you watch it and by the end you really are rooting for her. No need for modern bs about strong female character. You only need it when you are so insecure you need to create the whole movement about this non issue. Who cares if it’s male of female? Great is great. I imagine in 10 years time we will be seeing posts about the “strong person identifying as a toaster”…
My favorite part is when the chef is talking to the assistant of the actor and asks her which school she went to for her degree. He was about to let her go until he finds out that she didn’t have student loans so he went “I’m sorry. You’re dying.”
That was fucking stupid.
I don't think he was prepared to let her go though. It seemed to me he was deliberately asking her about her student loans to make the point that that was the reason she had to die.
Still a great scene :)
It was a great scene but I don’t think Slowick was going to let her go, he was probably just toying with her and showing off how petty he is. Imagine getting killed because you don’t have debt.
He's killing her because she's stealing from her boss despite the fact that she comes from money. She has plenty of money, but feels the need to steal from her boss...just because she can.
He was making the point that she was one of those trust fund kids cz Slowik had a rough childhood with financial trouble and he despised those priviledged kids!
I love how the other diners stare in disbelief as Anna eats that burger, because they've lost their souls and don't even know how to enjoy something anymore.
Apparently, the burger was the only real food on-set. The actors were really hungry, and that's why they seem so entranced by the burger lol
@@sitcomchristian6886 That is BRILLIANT direction
@Sitcom Christian Pretty sure the actors just acted but okay
Just a bit odd because I doubt an expensive escort would be a genuine character and not as shallow as the rest.
@@drabnail777 It's the tired, old "whore with a heart of gold" trope.
This is sort of like a modern rendition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with more stern social commentary on the themes of the lack of passion or enjoyment that is derived from an art form.
Glad I’m not the only one who noticed the parallels with Margot stood up to him at the end!
A culinary Willy Wonka...
This movie was funnier than a lot of modern “comedy” movies
The "real" cheeseburger
It sure was 😃
Truly
Better than the majority of Seth Rogen movies
No pude evitar sentirme mal en la escena final, donde los comensales eran el postre. Ver a esos actores ahi envueltos en malvavisco y con un sombrero de chocolate, solo podía imaginar lo que pasaba por sus mentes en ese momento: "este es el final de mi carrera"
Being critical of things is not a sign of a negative mindset, it’s a sign that you care more deeply about the world around you than others care to. Keep being critical Drinker.
I love the line “you’ll eat less than you desire but more than you deserve.” Sets the tone.
That cheeseburger scene and everything it represents is just so damn good! It let the chef cook something he enjoyed cooking one last time, and cook it for somebody he knew would enjoy it. He got to see her enjoy it. Then she asked for it to go, helping him out with another problem, since he really didn't know what to do with her since she wasn't on the menu, and had no part in any of this. Then, she pays for it in cash, with a wrecked and worn out $10.
Thanks! Now I won't have to watch it!
Not to mention it was the only food item that was worth eating
Cool, saved me 2 hours.
Should have a spoiler warning on your comment. But yes I loved this part of the movie! This part was reminding him when he was happy being a chef and servicing regular people. It was so sweet. As a graphic designer for 20 years I sometimes forget that feeling why I got into the business.
When the cheeseburger came out I was in tears, so weird, but really enjoyed it lol
As a former sous chef and line cook in high profile restaurants, this movie resonated highly with me. Didn’t know what to expect, but got an amazing film that was crafted so well I can rewatch this over and over
This and the bear
Anyone who starts a sentence with "as a" deserves 0 respect.
I also spent many years waitressing & cooking & utterly loved this magnificent take down of high-end pretentiousness.
@@Disillusioned2022 Elaborate
Well don't get any ideas.
This is one of your best written reviews. I've seen this movie, and you absolutely captured the essence of it. You keep getting better and better, Drinker. Keep at it.
I was expecting a Voldemort joke somewhere but when I see Ralph Fiennes's flawless display of touched and appreciation in the burger scene, I thank The Drinker for showing Fiennes the respect he deserves.
The critical drinker doesn't like the Harry Potter movies, so don't expect a voldemort joke
How about Amon Göth?
He doesn't watch trash like Harry Potter
At 1st when the girl didn't liked his food I was waiting for an AVADAKADVRAAAAAA :D
Haven’t seen the film yet, but there is something about his pose and stance in the shorts that remind me of Anthony Hopkins/Hannibal Lecter.
Anya and Ralph killed this movie. It's sad most categorized this movie as just another eat the rich movie which came last year like glass minion and triangle of sadness but this was clearly a well intended movie about critiquing the "high art" and "elitism" culture that exists in almost every form of life. Loved the end. ❤❤
It was also an opportunity to show the prostitute figuring it all out. Girl Power style...
It's probably because bad faith actors try to highjack the movies messaging to push their own agenda even if it doesn't fit.
Anyone who attempted to classify this movie as just another "eat the rich" rant, either didn't watch the movie at all or they weren't paying attention. Until you made this comment, I didn't even imagine that anybody would have seen this movie as such.
The diners' money had nothing whatsoever to do with *why* they were jaded, it just meant that they could afford his food.
Here in the real world, I've worked for super rich people who have a joy of life rivaling that of Mr. Rogers, and on the other hand I've both worked with and known plenty of nihilistic blue collar dicks every bit as jaded as the diners in that movie.
@@amp2193 boy be quiet. She’s just not a dumbass and is actually true to herself.
@@007Thanos007 This is actually how I took the movie and I went in really wanting to like it. This is the only review I've disagreed with the drinker on. I found this film incredibly pretentious and boring.
I loved every minute of this movie. It positively surprised me with how the story played out, and I totally love the moment when the chef "makes a mess" and suddenly the whole movie makes a 180 turn and you start to realise what this is about. I never thought that a movie about cooking could be this impactful.
It was extremely predictable. Every storybeat. Movie was incredibly mediocre, but then again I tend to think a solid chunk of movies Drinker praises are. People are so done with outright trash that even mediocrity is enough to please masses.
@@bbbbbbb51 it's not because something is predictable that it instantly means it's bad. It's predictable that Sauron will be beaten in LOTR, it doesn't mean the trilogy is bad and mediocre
@@bbbbbbb51 Wouldnt say it was that predictable. From the beginning my thoughts were "they will be eaten wont they"? Or "they will serve them people wont they"? But seeing the movie be this critique of experience over what food actually is was pretty refreshing and just enjoyable. It's a shame you didnt like it very much, but to each their own. But I do feel like calling it mediocre is an over reaction. Unless you base that opinion on plot only, then maybe. But the rest of the movie was also really good. The minimalistic set, great acting, pacing, shots and the atmosphere of the movie were really good.
@@bbbbbbb51 "our desire to deconstruct and dismantle, to strip away the magic and mystery by exposing every trick and technique, to obsess over it's flaws and ignore it's triumph, and ultimatly to kill the passion of the people creating it, and what's left is a sterile passionless facsimile of what once was lacking the hearth and joy that made it so special in the first place"
you comment made me think of this.
@@bbbbbbb51 The biggest thing about entertainment isn't always about the contents itself, it's about how it's delivered. Delivery is the key to what makes something good or that can make it bad, no matter how predictable or unique something is.
One of the small things that struck me, seeing this the first time, was the schedule the chef's second-in-command describes the restaurants' staff living under. I thought, "That's not the kind of sleep schedule that people allows people to function, long-term. It's about right if you were trying to brain-wash people, though..." And my sense of tension immediately began to ramp up.
Neat, but why the fuck do you know that?
How do you know about brain-washing sleep schedules exactly?
@@konradviii5663 Good question
@@konradviii5663 There are some pretty good books about it, by people that have saved people from cults during the worst years they were plaguing our country.
Honestly though, that's about the level of exhaustion needed to make a living at any restaurant.
I saw this movie at an Alamo draft house, twice. They are a theater that serves real food and actual pints of beer at your seat, etc. On second viewing, I asked my server to bring me a burger at the exact moment they pull out "just a well made cheeseburger". People around me were so jealous!
Watched this movie on a whim during a flight a couple months ago. It's funny: I thought it was just *ok* after first viewing, but it's only grown on me big time since. "Tyler's Bullshit" was one of the funniest captions I've ever seen in any movie
When the chef says to him "ah, some new method of dicing that we're woefully ignorant of" I genuinely laughed out loud.
I laughed uncontrollably at "Tyler's bullshit". I have known a few "know-it-alls" that share some of Tyler's bs.
This movie just gutted me with how good it was. Pacing, story, characters, arc, growth, and consequences. Tight, orderly, and one unexpected outcome after another.
The exchange between Anna, and the chef, and the making of a simple cheeseburger, was some of the best bit of film I've seen in years.
You have to be kidding right?
I thought it was incredibly predictable and you got the idea of what was gonna happen after like the first twist
I agree it's a very good, fun, movie. I think it gets hated on for strange reasons like one person called it woke and I didn't get that.
As you said, TIGHT. Under two hours like most movies should be. It's like nobody knows how to edit anymore.
My 16 year old picked this for our family movie night, not what I was expecting her to pick but we both really enjoyed it. I wish there was more of these smaller movies without CGI everywhere being made. Movies with great characters and writing are always enjoyable and makes you want to rewatch them .
Try 'BARTON FINK'
@@CHRISANDREOU4199 will definitely go looking for it.
I'm convinced that anything with Anya in it is worth watching. She's been turning in stellar performances in nearly every genre from Split, Glass, Last Night in Soho, The Queen's Gambit, The Witch, The Northman, The Menu, and now she just recently did excellent voicework in the Super Mario Bros. Movie. The girl is just talent and I see a couple or so Oscars in the near future for her!
She was great in Soho. The rest of the film was a let down though.
Agreed. Especially, Her voice acting in Super Mario Bros was a thing of beauty.
@@maltesharalikatti2818 reckon so? I found her distracting but I also didn’t really like Peach in the movie, has Peach always been a Mary Sue?
Speaking of Super Mario Bros. , there's actually a little bit crossover of this movie. We all know Anya voiced Peach in the new Mario movie but remember that John Leguizamo, who played the washed up movie star on this movie, played Luigi in live action Super Mario Bros. At 1993 along with the late Bob Hoskins which is one of the worst video game movie adaptation ever. Also, Anya is secretly channeling her Princess Peach here because of her dress.
If you are a "drinker" fan, you probably aren't the type who is going to like the coming "Oscar" contender movies. Have you seen the woke hoops makers have to go through now just to be considered? I hope Anya doesn't go down that rabbit hole and make her career disappear.
To sum up the menu in a quote
Friedrich Nietzsche: “They muddy the water, to make it seem deep.”
Also applicable to politics and finance
@@ricardokowalski1579 And media.
Man who thinks too much about food makes meal of his thoughts
gentlemen, lets not forget the immortal words of Albert Lincoln Stalin who said "he who goes to bed with a buttocks that itch, is he who stands up in the morning with a finger that stinks".
No disrespect to you or Mr. Nietzsche whom I consider the most brilliant man in human history. Just trying to "lighten the mood" a little!
THat's a good quote. I'm gonna' use it, when it is called for.
"You'll eat less of wt u desire n more of wt u deserve."
I've seen this movie a few times already, I even tear up a bit while watching it. I've spent a decade of my life in the food service industry, doing everything from serving, bartending, food prep, cooking, dishwashing, inventory, everything that needed to b done at the restaurant, I did it. I was living there, literally. I did all this cuz I had a lot of love and joy for serving, and I esp had a lot of love for the restaurant itself. But after a while of giving so much of myself to the restaurant n customers, I was neglecting my life outside of the restaurant. I became an extreme alcoholic to cope with this imbalance that I had created for myself, threatening everything that I worked n sacrificed for, including my ownself. I eventually was able to let my dependence on alcohol go by leaving the restaurant altogether. This is why I cry watching The Menu, I relate to being an extreme giver, n I just have nothing but respect for those that serve the takers. This film reminds me of how much we tend to take and relentlessly b cynical of wt we take. It seems every other person is a damn wannbe Roger Ebert with lil room for empathy, gratitude, n compassion. Yes, there does seem to be a lot of shit being served, but how many critics who r ready to shit over everything do we actually need in a society that seems so full of takers and not enough genuine givers? The Menu is def on my personal list of top best films. Cheers 🫡
Watched this in the theater with my daughter. An excellent movie. The acting was great, the social commentary, the way the scenes were shot. I don't know what I expected but it was definitely worth the watch. Most movies these days are reboots or sequels. This was original and though provoking. Not to mention darkly hilarious. The final scene with the s'mores was so ridiculous it was amazing.
"with my daughter"
Why would we care to know that?
@@jdsartre9520 god forbid someone comments in a comment section
@@madmantheepic7278ignore him, he’s doing a bit
@anarwally what did she think of it? she like it aswell ?
I almost fell out of my chair with laughter at the sight of the Graham Crackers getting thrown about! What a fittingly pretentious desert to have for the finale!
The cheeseburger scene did the unthinkable: it rivalled Ratatouille for the best meal-serve climax in film history 😋🍔
I love it when The Drinker finds a film that he can describe in increasingly majestic praise. It really makes me what to watch and appreciate these movies.
From the first shot of Slowik looking at everyone before he spoke, the expression on his face made me go, "Oh shit this is going to be bad." The way Fiennes had all that mixed emotion in his face wordlessly was perfect.
The man really is quite the actor.
Having now seen this film... regarding the speech before each course, to quote a CEO I used to work for just before he was off to write his speech to the stockholder meeting: "If you make your numbers, it doesn't matter what you say; and if you don't make your numbers, it doesn't matter what you say."
@@modravoda And brilliant did not enjoy it one bit...
I saw this in the theater. A few people left mid way thought. I'm not sure what they were expecting. My wife and I laughed a pretty hard a few times. I could tell by some of the chatter at the end that the movies social commentary flew over a few of their heads. The acting was superb and ending was strangely heart warming in a messed up kind of way.
Maybe they were hungry!
It was very hart warming for the guests and chefs that's for sure
The ending was heartwarming because it helped a man who lost his love for his craft feel that one last time.
I felt that the movie was for food connoisseurs, which I'm not. For me it was meh, not bad, not good. The social commentary part was dumb.
@@ronin1648 It was ridiculing the food connoisseurs! Sounds like you didn't get it at all.
I did a basic chef training course for 3 months when I was 45 years old and was working in a real commercial kitchen trained by a professional chef who would occasionally fly off to exotic locations and cook for celebrities. I bailed out but the other students who were much younger carried on for another three years. My old bones and joints couldn't take it.
The thing that people don't realise cooking at home is just how damn physically hard it is to work in a commercial kitchen and produce food of amazing quality day in and day out. I can do it to a degree in a few areas of a menu and sometimes feel underwhelmed in a restaurant because I know just about enough to know when it hasn't been done right.
Sounds like an interesting film. Yes an amazing cheeseburger is surprisingly hard to get 'amazing'.
Having already seen this I can personally say this is the greatest Chef/Restaurant movie I have ever seen...other than Ratatouille
Burnt is a way better Chef movie.
watch Big Night
Boiling Point 😉
Other than the God-status film "Chef" you mean?
try seeing more than 2 movies
One of the most interesting and self-aware films I've seen in some time. I suspect it will get even better with multiple viewings, since there's a lot of nuance there. It took a while for me to start to get the bit, but once I understood what was happening, it got a lot better. The pathos of the final scene took me weeks to unravel. More like this, please.
A lot of nuance? What?! There was a complete lack of any nuance whatsoever! What are you even talking about???
@@bigl9478 Your inability to discern nuance in this film is not my issue.
You're overthinking it. The cheeseburger 🍔 and movie itself is just a nothing burger. That's actually the message of the movie.
@@jonfreeman9682 See my above comment.
curious what you got from the ending. I keep reading through comment sections trying to find peoples takes and they're all,
"WHY DID THEY LET THEMSELVES DIE? THAT'S STUPID AND UNREALISTIC!"
"THEY GOT BRAINWARSHED BY THE CULT!"
"LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I WOULD'VE DONE I WOULD'VE FOUGHT THEM THAT'S WHAT I WOULD'VE DONE!"
Which is pretty ironic given that the movie makes direct commentary on those who demand what they want/expect from artistry and their intellectualizing/deconstructing of art. As the Chef crafts the experience for the customers, so the movie crafts an experience for us. Each course was an experience in itself for the guests, taking them through highs and lows, life and death, pleasure and pain, culminating in the final act of his masterpiece: immolation by smore. In the end, the smores are us, they accept the experience they paid for, and perhaps for the first time in their lives, were present to experience the chefs final masterpiece. But remember that the guests aren't merely representing us; ultimately even the guests that were burned alive are there to give US the experience, get us to be present and accept the experience for what it is. I thought it was absolutely brilliant.
Watched this film blind after seeing this review drop. A Drinker recommendation cannot be ignored. And I was not disappointed. I think what makes this film great is how the comedy is worked in without distracting from the tension. Some pointed out the very enthusiastic sommelier, but the simple title cards explaining the dishes had me rolling towards the end
"Just a well-made cheeseburger"
Damn, that's never been more right!
That trick of putting sliced onions on top of the patty before the turnover is pure gold. They sauté in the beef juices when underneath and make a next-level burger. And two slices of cheese if you just have one patty.
People like you are the only movie recommendations I trust anymore. As soon as I saw this video in fact I immediately went to my favorite streaming site to legally watch this film. It was pretty damn good I must say.
Agreed. Drinker tells it how it is.
Yer just saying you watched it legally. How do we know you're telling the truth? 😆
@@greggibson33 right over your head
Saw this movie when it came out. I think having some food service experience is helpful to appreciate the movie, but not totally required.
The edgy balance between protagonist and antagonist was masterfully done.
Really enjoyed the creativity of The Menu. It was a refreshing cinema taste without the rotten characteristics of many recent "modern audience" movies in the past 5 years.
I got into cooking professionally at a fairly young age, it got old fast and I found myself going back to college soon after that. I used to enjoy pushing myself and making more advanced meals not for myself but for my friends and family. I loved sharing my passion and seeing it be enjoyed fully by those that meant the most to me. But I grew to hate cooking and food in general. When I saw the menu I couldn’t fully understand the villain but I absolutely sympathized. I understood why he was doing what he did even if I thought it was horrendous. I hadn’t been spoiled on the ending and when I saw the photograph of the young chef cooking a burger and smiling my only thought was, “wow that really does a great job of humanizing him for me” but when the main character asked for a burger at the end it blew my mind in every possible way. She felt his pain and despite his actions she knew she could draw one last moment of joy out of the chef before he ended his own life. He in turn knew it wasn’t fair for her to be in that room with them for the s’mores desert. For such an odd movie that seems so outlandish in its principle to wrap itself around to a very human ending finding mutual respect between protagonist and antagonist. It blew my mind and brought a tear to my eye. I had hoped for so long that the drinker would review this movie. I didn’t think this day would be any good but a hope and dream was answered tonight. Best UA-camr.
Yeah, man. Anya Taylor Joy seems to be one of those actresses that can do no wrong. Ray Fiennes was also outstanding.
It's one of those movies that make you think way after the end credits. Great acting and perfectly executed.
I found it to be a pretty interesting movie all the way through, reasonably good all around. It was the final act and ending that elevated it for me. Margot's "final girl" moment and how she executes her escape was just poetry.
one of the rare instances of well written "girl power" moments
Weirdly, everything I watch that has Anya in it, she always kills it. I saw the Netflix show about Chess, and I thought it would suck, and slept on it for a while, but when I gave it a watch, I was hooked the whole time. I think she's going to be the Actress that can play a huge variety of performances.
I was hungry yesterday. Had skipped breakfast, (reasons) & as such when my late afternoon lunch came about, I went through the cabinets & found a Top Ramen
(Shrimp flavor.)
I sat with my hot bowl & turned on a video of someone walking us through vending machines in Japan so I would have someone to eat with.
I was pretty hungry, & as such? The Ramen was delicious.
Thank you, Critical Drinker, for all you do for us.
Anya Taylor-Joy is quickly becoming a household name, in the best way possible. Very talented, focussed, easy on the eyes and a very characterful voice, which I personally really appreciate.
Plus she's smokin hot lol
Anya Taylor Joy is so great in everything she's in.
I think Amazon's ROP missed a bet by not at least trying to cast her as "young" Galadriel. I think she would have been way better than Morfydd Clark. (Of course, they would also have needed a completely different script as well.😅)
@@fionnaitsradag5152 She's too picky and smart to fall for that script. lol
@@Whippets True!😂
@@Whippets Mia Goth is comparable.
@@junkersreview I don't think her body of work quite rises to the level of Joy, but she's admittedly quite good.
Watching chef slowik cooking that cheeseburger made me want that cheeseburger more than any McDonald’s or any other fast food schism commercial ever has.
Have you seen succession?? The director of the menu "Mark Mylod" is the head director of the show and it's amazing!!
The Menu is one of the very few movies in recent times I really really came to love, what a ride. And not to forget Hong Chau, she was absolutely killing it (literally at times, hehe).
Honestly, there were points I found her scarier than Ralph Fiennes
Hong Chau killed it last year by performing in The Menu and The Whale.
Also, "These are Tortillas. Tortillas Deliciousa"
She is so talented, every time I see her she kills it
If a movie about food can make me want to eat something, it did its job.
I wanted the food in Ratatouille, I wanted that grilled cheese in Chef, and I really wanted that Cheeseburger at the end of The Menu.
Just watched this on your recommendation - Really enjoyed this movie! Wish they'd make more stuff like this, clearly there are still talented script writers and actors around - so why are so many movies today so trite and unimaginative??
Sturgeon's Law, my friend.
@@captainunderpants200 That, and Hollywood is trying to keep their cake and eat it by trying to rehash classic films and franchises for profit, but gutting of everything that made said classics so great in the first place in order to make it as inoffensive as possible to Twitter.
Like he said commercialized safe a low risk garunteed payout versus it used to being an artistic endevour with more misses than hits but when it hit it was glorious
Most of the best modern movies don't see theatres. Just like most of the best songs don't play on the radio. At least gaming respects their indie artists.
to be fair, most movies are still good as long as they are not big budget. Mostly you get the blockbusters to see in critics, not the majority of smaller movies who are also produced by the movie industry but with much more freedom. A lot of directors and actors work for small money to make their movies and the studio is happy if it brings some money in or got some award nominations. Just ignore the big theater programms and look for smaller theaters around and you will be surprised how much good shit is out there.
All of the guests, aside from Margo, show what happens to people when they've never had to really fight for anything in their lives, or truly stand up for themselves. Even in the face of imminent death, they have no idea how to stop it. They barely even try to. This film was pure gold. Favorite character was Elsa, the maître d'hôtel - the absolute DRAMA of this woman had me wheezing. "WE GEL!"
Agree on this one.
At one point, Slowik even calls them out on barely fighting back, loudly wondering that escape could have escaped if they just worked and fought together.
I don't think escorts really fight for anything, more like they've given up and just sell their body/looks.
I think they were constantly in a mindset of "this can't possibly be happening to me" until the bitter end. They thought that they were too rich and powerful to be subject to the real world. And yes. Elsa was the dream of every food service worker ever, I would imagine. "These are tor-tillas! Tor-tillas DE-liciosa" lmfao
Drama? What drama?
@@darthdaddy3071 It is not just rich people. Slaves have commonly outnumber their masters (for instance in Sparta), but they don't fight cuz nobody wants to be the one to die.
I watched this film with zero expectations. It made me FEEL. It got under my skin. It's rare to feel anything for modern movies these days.
The cheeseburger part reminds me of my childhood. My mother who has been a staunch vegetarian for almost all my life would about once a year ask me if i wanted a burger. We would drive to Kellers (its a drive in burger joint in Dallas). She would order a bacon cheeseburger and 2 beers, and sit there and say "God damn life sucks, but its what you make of it that matters" or some other bits of realist wisdom to blow off steam in her own life. To this day, though I try to remain fit and healthy, sometimes a greasy burger and beer is exactly what you need to just reset.
I felt the same after watching Trainspotting too. I try to be fit and healthy but sometimes a good ol dose is exactly what you need to reset.
Fast or junk food is OK no more than twice a week. We can enjoy food too.
Just like the drinker said before, sometimes you want a greasy cheeseburguer with a couple of pines of cold beer.
I couldnt help but feel satisfied when margo finally got decent food
Anya Taylor-Joy is such a treasure to watch. Even though "Last Night in Soho" fell apart at the end (not her fault), she's simply mesmerizing. I agree, Drinker: I applaud her not playing it safe with her role choices.
She's quickly becoming my favorite actress. If you haven't seen the Queen's gambit. I suggest you watch it now.
I watched all 7 one hour episodes in a day . I was so hooked by her performance
I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie. The ending with the cheeseburger was so perfect, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It just worked so well, I had to rewatch it.
Every day I find myself respecting this sarcastic movie critic more and more, who is able to joke with himself and take criticism like a champ. Keep it up drinker!
When I saw the trailer to the Menu I thought it looked incredibly dumb but when I actually watched it I loved it. This was truly a movie for the middle class, and to me, Margo asking for the cheeseburger was the average person just wanting to appreciate art for art's sake. No overly intellectualized message shoved in their face.
Loved this movie. It was one of the best surprises of 2022, with great acting, depth, satire, a killer script (pun intended), and that perfect balance of being weird but not so weird that you lose the ideas the story tries to make. And now I want a cheeseburger.
John Leguizamo as a washed-up actor might be perfect casting
And he has entered the "presenter" phase of his career...
Glad to see you enjoyed this. My wife selected the film that night and surprisingly I found it enjoyable... even relating to the Chef. Your reviews and critiques are friggin' solid.
It's come to the point that my wife and I say "don't know," when something happens around the house.
Ralph has never missed on playing Villains, he is one of the greatest actors of all time in my opinion.
But the sympathetic villains are usually the most complex. Halfway through the movie, I began to loathe the guests as much at Slowik did. They all tried to destroy him, only in different ways.
Revenge isn't ALWAYS served cold...
I saw The Menu at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Film Festival. I went in with low expectations because of the recent low quality of films as of late. I was blown away by how much I actually liked it and I absolutely agree that the crux of the film could be applied to any art form.
You basically perfectly outlined why people are praising mediocre messes as of late. The sea of trash is making even okay movies look good in comparison.
As a Chef myself I fucking love this film! I hate to use these words, but it's one of the few pieces of media that has ever made me feel "seen." Sous Chef Jeremy's burnout hit me at a core level, forced me to entirely reevaluate why I'm in this profession and what I hope to achieve in life. And I absolutely love Peter Grosz as the Sommelier, his shockingly joyous professionalism providing brilliant comedic breaks from the tension.
My one major problem with the film is Tyler. If he knows he's going to die, why is he photographing the food? My head cannon suggests that he's sending pictures to his ex, to taunt her, but we're never told for sure. I feel like those "Memories" tortillas could have been used better to set up Tyler's twist, instead of simply upping the momentary tension.
As an Exec Chef with over 40 years of experience, (some of which was at Mobil 4 and 5 star properties) I highly approve of this review. I did not watch this movie when it came out, as my career was crushing me at the time and I wanted to shoot myself, and to be honest, I thought the premise was a bit odd. But I finally watched it a few weeks ago, and found it to be really good! Fiennes was awesome, as usual, and I could relate to his momento as the top burger cook from his childhood, as I also had humble beginnings. Like the Chef I also have a love/hate relationship with my customers. I needed them, but knew that mostly they were idiots and didn't understand or deserve my food, yet, there was a relationship that we needed to maintain. Like how the chef needs the owner to support his goals, yet also yearns for freedom. I also just wanted to cook for people that enjoyed and understood what they were eating. To be honest, while I did some of the super modernist stuff, like jells and what not, I myself rebelled against that pompous stuff and tried to keep my food real. But, this movie does a fine job of showing how the Chef, despite being super talented and unique, is still, in a way, a slave to the ignorant diner that he despises, trapped by the pretensions of the diner, pretensions that he unwittingly, in his quest for perfection, helped to enable, and at the same time has to walk the line between cooking the food he wants to cook, and coking what the diners want to eat. Trouble is, the diner rarely knows what they want, and usually can only tell you what they don't like.
If its helpful, there are a lot of true to life things here, the crew is focused, true, but today kitchens are not what they were like 20-25 years ago, expesially in the cities where hard core chef wannabes have been replaced with cheap labor who don't really care about technique, don't want to be a real chef, they just want to bank some cash, send it back home and than get out of hte US and live well back home. So, kitchens like these are becoming very rare. Perhaps others have other views, but I was in a big city running one of the flashiest rest in town and let me tell you, 75 percent of back of house didn't even speak english. But yeah, there are still some places like this out there, for sure. I think what real is the Chef, feeling that it was all for nothing, looking back over his life and career and realizing that it was, at its essence, a bit of a failure. He failed to really reach the customer, failed to really teach them, to get them to understand. Even his top Sous Chef couldn't follow in his footsteps and had to resort to shooting himself. Now that is a piece of reality! Working all those years than realizing that no, you don't have what it takes!!! Yup, that happens, every, freakin, day. Not as messy, but it happens.
So good movie, and good review. Writing good, characters all realistic, Ms Taylor-Joy was a breath of fresh air, I actually had her "service" role pegged as some kind of waitress, so I was slightly off in that regard. The diners were all true to type, of course. The ending, with the S'mores, as the large white paper/plastic sheet was being rolled onto the floor, brought a smile to my lips, as I thought of Grant Achaz (who was a few years behind me at the CIA) who led the US with his over the top creativity, and would cover the table with a white sheet of "paper" and lay out streaks of food, sauces, and crumbles, eschewing any plate at all. So yeah, that was a big visual easter egg.
Well done. If there is any take away, please try to appreciate what a good, hardworking Chefs puts on your plate. It might be a bagged sauce (if you're at Olive Garden type of corp rest) but at some places every pickle might be homemade with care, every sauce thought out, every seasoning 9even on your smashburger) has been carefully blended and thought out. Please don't replace the Morel and Fava Bean Risotto with a baked potato, it really doesn't do justice to the Fennel dusted Chilean Sea Bass, really, it doesn't. Favas and Morels are only here for a brief period in the spring, and should be enjoyed. Its a meal, someone worked hard, say thanks and just try to be grateful.
Like a concert by a classically trained pianist, your money is buying more than just a bite to eat, or a few minutes in a seat in a theater. Its buying a brief moment to share in the result of years and years of training. Someone worked very hard, studied for years, practiced and practiced to bring you a version of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata that is as good, even better than the original. Please don't ask the have the second movement replaced with something from Beyonce.
Of the Chef might have to have you removed.
When I was stationed in Okinawa I was told (pretty much) Day 1, don't ask for substitutes on what you order as it's considered rude. Simply because the chef is the one who put it all together and it would be a slap in the face (ie "that doesn't go together iMo")
Granted, legit allergies should be allowed, but even then, if it restricts most of the menu to you, you probably shouldn't be eating there in the first place.
When it comes to food, I've noticed a lot of people either aren't willing to try new things, or their established palette is as spicy as flour. They probably only listen to one genre of music too lol.
Years ago I was an electrician working on a remodel of the kitchen at country club. The Executive Chef there liked to come by and chat with us from time to time, and as someone curious about his art, I asked him a lot of questions. He graciously answered anything I thought to ask, and listened when I shared my own struggle to learn to cook for myself. But when I talked about wanting to economize, while still producing something that was more than just a simple home meal, he lit up. He quizzed me about my budgets, the things my friends and I liked, and helped me develop a bean soup recipe that people clamored after for years. It ignited a lifelong passion in me for cooking, and left me deeply grateful for having known him, and for having glimpsed how deeply a Chef can think about food.
Thank you for what you do for us.
@@Alex-hm7nt While I agree, you have to be careful about not being too pretentious or gatekeeping. Let people enjoy their cheeseburger so to speak. For instance some people in Chicago make a big deal about ketchup on a hot dog. Like, let me eat it how I like it. I'm an adventurous eater, but some are not and that's OK.
The customer is always right, which means supply the demand, don't try to create a demand for what you want to supply.
I've never wanted a cheeseburger more than after I saw this. That smash burger Slowik made looked delicious.
When the legendary American chef Anthony bourdain tried the high end delicacy of the Scottish King Rib (deep fried mystery meat) he said "to be honest, that doesn't suck". Legend.
I saw this back in theaters when it released and I have gotten some flack for recommending it to people, but honestly it's one of those movies that reminds people it's ok to enjoy something even if it's not totally perfect
Well that explains why some people hate this and even claim that was written by AI.
It's my favourite recommendation to make. I have yet to meet someone who didn't like the movie.
@@Manganization it's pretty shit tbh. People are just so tired of outright dumpster fires that something that's middle of the road looks solid in comparison.
Ralph Fiennes made this movie. If it weren't for his performance I'd have been bored senseless.
Just watched this - really loved it. Tight. Intelligent. Direct. Well made. Not bloated.
I love everything The Critical Drinker does, but nothing beats The Drinker recommends when he has seen a film he likes. Brilliant. Thank you so much, I will be going to see this.
"Babette's Feast" is one of my favorite movies and is also about food as an art form, but more from the artist's perspective. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a more positive, pastoral movie experience.
Its pretentious shit.
This is one of those movies where everything comes together! The writing, the acting, the directing, the editing... all masterful. *Chef's kiss*
Easily one of the best films of the last couple years. The casting was spot on, Fiennes was absolutely perfect as Slowik. His subtle expressions in every scene, especially during the cheeseburger sequence, which almost brings tears to my eyes, are amazing and speak far more eloquently than any dialogue could. I run a movie theater and spent three nights after hours watching and re-watching this feature and gained more and more respect for the film and insight into what the director is saying with each viewing. Thank you for reviewing it and I wholeheartedly agree with your observations. This is one movie everybody should watch and try to discern if you are represented in one of the diners.... or the chef himself.
I never thought that you would recommend the menu.
This movie was so enjoyable. Does everything a movie should, tells a WHOLE story, show actual believable CHARACTERS, try to tell me SOMETHING, leaves an EXPERIENCE. Thanks for the recommendation my dearest drinker!
So True
Phantom Thread is another phenomenal movie in the same vein as The Menu but using different genres. They would probably go really well as companion pieces.
The hamburger scene was art. On the level of the movie Pig honestly.
What I like about Pig is that they couldn’t afford a trained pig so Cage spent half the movie getting bitten by the fucking thing
Pig was incredible.
Thanks for another great recommendation, Drinker! Watched it with my wife a couple days back, and we both loved it.
First movie in a long time that i felt like watching again, and even a third time. Amazing how well a medium budget movie can do with a great story and capable actors.
Even though this isn't a top 10 kind of movie, what made it so good for me was that it had me thinking hard about what I just watched for the next day or so. Not a lot of movies like that coming out in the last 10 to 15 years.
This may be my new favorite film, I absolutely love it for how it perfectly balances horror with (admittedly highbrow less accessible)humor. Fiennes in my view deserves tremendous praise.
It's funny you bring this up, I just rewatched this the other night. The acting and pacing is so good that it doesn't matter that I know how it ends. It's one of those films that you can just sink into the atmosphere of.
I had no idea this was going to be a satire, and I'm so glad that ut was. This was surprisingly one of my favorite movies of the year.
lmao that's really sad cuz this movie was absolute trash
I actually watched this movie last week and after finishing it, my first thought was "let's see what the drinker thought about it". Was bummed when I couldn't find a review for it. But here we are today, the drinker delivered!
This movie will always be memorable to me due to having been sent a meal and ate it whilst watching this. A short time later as I was still watching I got a message asking "how was the meal?" only for the direct next line spoke was " I don't like it, I want to send it back!", well I nearly choked due to laughing so much due to incredible coincidental timing even though I did enjoy the meal. Weird how the universe works and how life can have hilarious timing.
Those movie moments are the best! They really add to the experience.
I was watching WallE on a laptop, and the battery ran out when he was shocked unconscious. it took me about 10+ secs to realize my computer had died and not just the movie going to black. ...but then when i had it charging and playing again, the literal next scene was a big "rebooting" across the screen as he is waking back up. Such a great coincidence and experience that I wish everyone could have.
Your story reminds me of when, years ago during a storm, I was watching a historical documentary on TV with my brother, and the slightly spotty satellite signal would cause the audio to go silent for a short moment, every random interval. Well, I told my brother, "Dude, this is making [the old guys being interviewed about war, or whatever] sound like they're swearing."
A few minutes later, an old, very polite historian guy was talking about a serious subject matter, and started some word with "f" and ending in something that sounded like "k", in such a way that when the signal went out, it sounded EXACTLY as if he'd just dropped the f-bomb as an adjective in them middle of his sentence and had his word censored.
We laughed to tears when it happened, the timing for the signal issue was absolutely perfect. Once-in-a-lifetime moment, right there.