Burnt

Burnt is a mildly entertaining movie that could have used some surprises to really push it over the top.  It features a fine cast, who simply are not put to good use here, outside of Bradley Cooper.  He has the unenviable task of playing a character who is not very likable, but we still have to want to watch an entire movie about him.  He succeeds for the most part, because he brings a lot of raw intensity and realism to his performance.  There are moments where the movie matches that intensity, and that's why I'm giving it a marginal recommendation.

All too often, movies about food or restaurants are overly cute or sentimental.  Heck, this film's writer, Steven Knight, wrote last year's drama, The Hundred-Foot Journey.  I enjoyed that film, but honestly, it was about as sharp and as edgy as a plastic fork.  Here, there is a sense of realism to the film's depiction of the world of fine dining that I really enjoyed.  The film does a great job of capturing the cutthroat atmosphere, the frustrations of trying to keep up with the critics and rivals, and the intensity of the kitchen.  We see aspects of the food industry that we don't usually get to see in films, such as how restaurants try to fill seats, or the rivalry between chefs, even within the same kitchen.  Even if the film itself is somewhat dramatically inert, this realism is what pushed it over to a recommendation for me.  I love movies that show me the world of a business that we don't usually get to see in the cinema, and Burnt simply felt honest to me about what it must be like when the pressure is on in a kitchen.

Cooper's instant on screen charisma goes a long way in his performance as Adam Jones, a man who can often be cruel, calculating and manipulative.  The opening scenes do a great job of setting up his character, and how others view him.  Adam was once one of the top young chefs in the world of fine dining, but he lost it all due to a self destructive personality that revolved around alcohol, drugs and sex.  He lost a lot of friends in the industry, and for the past three years, he has been paying penance by living in New Orleans, and forcing himself to work at a job where he shucks oysters.  Once he's had enough, he heads to London, England and tries to rebuild his career.  Easier said than done, considering the bridges he's burned with his various relationships.  Heck, many of the people he used to work or be friendly with thought he's been dead all this time. 

Adam uses his gifts of using and manipulating people to get a restaurant, get people to work for him, and start on the path for his true goal - obtaining a third Michelin Star.  He rounds up a crew which includes a single mom cook Helene (Sienna Miller), former friend Michel (Omar Sy), an ex-con named Max (Riccardo Scamarico), and maitre d' Tony (Daniel Bruhl).  There are some cameos by big names, too.  Uma Thurman turns up as a food critic whom Adam uses to his advantage, while Emma Thompson plays Adam's therapist who is tasked with making sure he stays sober this time.  Really, aside from Cooper, nobody gets to make an impact here.  It's the scenes in the kitchen that give the movie its energy, not the performances or the plotting.  There is just such an intensity and integrity to the scenes depicting these characters on the job that it made me forget about everything else.  Even if a subplot concerning some old drug dealers that Adam owes money to winds up not really going anywhere, the movie redeems itself the next scene by focusing on the action behind the scenes of a fine restaurant.

This was enough to make Burnt worth watching for me.  It understand the world that the characters live in, and pulls back the curtain, allowing us to enter and be entertained.  What's equally amazing is how fast-paced and kinetic the movie feels, despite a majority of the film taking place within the confines of a restaurant kitchen.  Director John Wells keeps things constantly moving, so even if the plot never really engages, I never found myself bored.  There were also small moments of snappy dialogue that I enjoyed, mainly when rival chefs were talking about each other, or behind each others backs.  This is what ultimately pulled me in.  Sometimes, I'm entertained because of what a movie has to show me, not because of its message.  There's no doubt that this is a very flawed movie, but it worked on a certain level with me.

I have a feeling that those in the food industry will feel like they're watching their daily lives up on the screen should they watch this.  What this means is that Burnt probably speaks to a fairly limited audience.  But, even though I am outside that world, I was intrigued enough while I was watching the film.  You've really gotta be behind or live within the world of these characters to get the most out of it, though.

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