What was I expecting when I went to see No Reservations? Not much. It isn't that I expected it to be bad, it is just that I looked at it as a sort of fluffy space filler kind of a movie. It is true that it is a bit on the fluffier side, but it is anything but a space filler.
This movie, a remake of a German film called Mostly Martha, is a nice slice-of-life kind of movie. No Reservations is not about plot, it is not about getting from point A to point B, it is not about having a script go through hoops to make the story work, it isn't even about how it ends. What it is about are the lives of those involved and the changes that these characters go through. The plot points flow naturally, moving along in a matter of fact way. Life changes, that is a fact, and this movie takes us through a certain period in the lives of three characters.
The story is centered on Kate (Catherine Zeta-Jones), an emotionally unavailable master chef whose life revolves around preparing some gorgeous-looking food. While she may be unable to maintain a relationship for any amount of time, she is more than happy to show off her mean streak should any of her culinary talents be challenged. It is this show of temperament that leads to the disappearance of customers, and the subsequent demand from the restaurant owner (Patricia Clarkson) that she seek counseling to save her job. Kate is not a terribly pleasant woman, but she is also not a particularly mean one, she is just passionate about her kitchen and about her culinary work. Her life is thrown for a loop one day when her sister and niece (Abigail Breslin) are coming to visit. The visit never happens, and Kate is left to care for young Zoe.
Kate is ill-prepared to care for Zoe. She is so singularly focused on her career that she has no idea how to care for her. In the meantime, things are changing at the restaurant as well. The owner has brought in a sous chef to assist in the kitchen duties. The new kitchen co-habitator is Nick (Aaron Eckhart), an equally skilled chef with a decidedly different approach to working the kitchen.
Of course, this will lead to the standard cliches of the genre. There will be a personality clash between Kate and Nick, there will be an attraction between the two, and young Zoe is here to play matchmaker. Yes, there are cliches here, but director Scott Hicks does not overplay his hand; it never plays too broadly, nor does he take it into the realm of melodrama. It is an understated film that rests squarely on the shoulders of the three principals to carry the weight of the film. It is a testament to their work that the movie works as well as it does.
Article comments
1 - Lisa McKay
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States, and Boston.com, which will allow even more readers to enjoy it.
2 - Amy M. Goheen
My friend and I absolutely loved No Reservations. When it was over we both said we want to see more!! The acting was great, in my eyes, from all of the characters. A really feel-good movie. I have told so many of my friends to see it and "feel good"