Julie & Julia

[Traveliz]

I don't cook but know who Julia Child is - never heard of Julie Powell before this but I thought the movie looked cute so I went.

I really enjoyed it and I thought it personalized Julia Child but it did get a little confusing toward the end because I think Amy Adams played Julie as a fairly sweet girl and when her friend is talking about her being a bad word can't use here and she is agreeing, I felt like I didn't see that portrayed at all in the show.

I did notice she and her husband did drink alot in the show although it never really showed them drunk.

So I was confused there and then when she finds out how Julia didn't approve yet we didn't get any further info on that.

And finally I thought the movie sort of just stopped - I would have thought the end would have been ok except with all the food scenes I bet there would have been some great outtakes and that would have been a great ending past the update.

Liz

 

[allison443]

Julia was spot on! I was given Julie & Julia as a gift a few years ago & thought that the whole thing was a great idea...until I started reading it. The cursing didn't bother me but the author/narrator/main character was just an unlikable, spoiled brat who seemed to take no joy in the actual cooking, did nothing but whine & complain about it and rarely even mentioned ANYTHING about the finished product. Even in Julia Child's cookbooks there is joy and fun...she really LOVES to cook and that comes through. The ONLY good thing about reading Julie & Julia was that it made me go out & get myself a copy of Mastering the Art of French cooking.

I totally agree! I read the book and I loved Julia Child and couldn't stand Julie Powell!! She was a narcissistic whiner and complainer!! The book didn't have as much "Julia" in it as the movie does, from what I understand.
All the reviews I read of the movie said they wanted more Julia, less Julie! So I think a lot of people felt the way I did.

 

[allison443]

I read an article about what's been going on with Julie Powell since her book was published....don't read further if you don't want to know what Julie did since she finished her blog and got the book deal...

She was able to quit the secretarial job which she felt was so beneath her. She had what she described as "an insane, irresistable love affair" with a close friend. (Yes, she cheated on her saintly long-suffering husband!) To recover from the affair and get her life back together, she apprenticed as a butcher in a shop in upstate New York. That time as a butcher is the subject of her new book "Cleaving: A story of marriage, meat, and obsession."

Interestingly, the new book was supposed to come out in August but now has been pushed back to December. There has been speculation whether the delay was related to the movie.

http://www.observer.com/2009/media/julie-powells-follow-julie-and-julia-delayed-galleys-recalled

 

[Mary Anne]

I too would have like to see more of Julia's story in the movie.

and about butter. I've been on WW for over a year, staying on program. After seeing the food in Julie an Julia, I made the most butter dripping meal on Sunday and ate a LOT of it. Not something I would do every day again but Julie is right, you need to cook with butter to get that special taste. Took me back to my childhood.

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

I agree, the movie did just kind of Stop. But at one point, it also stopped being interesting toward the end. Amy played her part well, but I didn't feel like the character itself was very likable to begin with. Meryl was absolutely phenomenal. I completely fell in love with her performance, and the zest for life she emoted as Julia ("Paul! We GET to live HERE?").

I'd give it a B. It was mostly good, but for the drawn out lengthening of the entirety of the film. Like I said, about 2 hours into it, I couldn't help but check my cell phone for the time every 3 or 4 minutes.

 

[DisTeach1]

Well, I had tears in my eyes throughout the movie, but not for the cooking...When Julia reached over and turned off her alarm clock and bounded out of bed, I started crying.

Because I want that, and I don't have it. I want a job and a passion that I love, and that I can't wait to get up for each day. Instead, I just go through the motions, counting the days until Friday.

She loved her husband, and he adored her...all 6'2" Big Boned of her...he adored her, and my husband adores me, yet I don't appreciate it, but I want to.

So, I cried throughout the movie, and I still don't know if I will ever have that passion for anything in my life, I am 41 and don't know how to even find it.