Streep, Adams whip up a winner with Julie & Julia

By Jackie Ammons     8/20/09 7:00pm

Two generations parallel each other in the new film Julie & Julia, where two real lives from different times find a connection in the world of cooking. Talented screenwriter Nora Ephron has produced one of her best works, transitioning from her more chick-flick screenplays (You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally) to a more historical - yet still lighthearted - film that is as enjoyable as it is clever.

Based on the books My Life in France by Julia Child and Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell, the film depicts the life of Julie Powell (Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian's Adams) who reaches outside of the monotony of her New York cubicle to blog about her progress as she makes all of Julia Child's recipes in one year's time. While showing the triumphs and trials of Julie's cooking, the film cuts back to the 1940's and Julia Child's (Doubt's Streep) first attempts at cooking at Le Cordon Bleu School in Paris and writing the first French cookbook in plain English. Both women find support in endearing husbands (Away We Go's Chris Messina and The Tale of Despereaux's Stanley Tucci) and loyal friends (American Fork's Mary Lynn Rajskub and Lie to Me's Deborah Rush).

While Julie & Julia transitions between two different time periods and two different lives, the viewer never feels confused or disconnected from the dual plotlines. Ephron so carefully parallels the stories and allows enough time to tell each of them that the audience knows exactly what is going on at all times. And while they never actually appear on-screen together, Streep and Adams master the screen, engaging the audience fully in their first reunion since last year's Academy Award-nominated Doubt.

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Streep, of course, is her majestic self: She charms the camera each time she appears in a movie, and Julie & Julia is no exception. Even though she is much shorter and not quite as round as the real-life Child, Streep is a larger-than-life presence in the film. Adams also does not disappoint: While not as impressive as her role in Doubt, Adams plays the part of sweet amateur chef well.

Not only has this movie been a success in the box offices, but it has also caused sales of Child's cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking to skyrocket. According to the Los Angeles Times, the cookbook is now No. 1 on Amazon.com's bestseller list, along with causing a stir in local bookstores and a greater interest in Powell's book Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously. Ironically, this film has turned viewers into readers.

But as much as individuals praise Child for her mastery of French cooking and Streep's mastery of Child's character in France, Julie & Julia was never filmed anywhere in France, according to IMDB.com. All filming took place in the United States, primarily in New York and New Jersey, a disappointing fact since France is such a pivotal part of Child's life and the movie's plot.

Nevertheless, Julie & Julia offers a refreshing menu of movie magic. It adds a little bit of history, a pinch of book appreciation and a huge lump of Streep's fabulous acting to create a film that is the perfect movie-going treat.

To watch the trailer and learn more about the movie, visit www.julieandjulia.com.

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