The Taste of Things – A Culinary Romance

Having been granted the opportunity to attend the 76th Edition of the Cannes International Film Festival last May, it boasted one of the strongest festival slates in recent years. Wim Wenders “Perfect Days”, Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon”, Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” and of course the Palme D’or winner, Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall”, who all had their world premiere at the festival. Despite the crowded field, perhaps the film garnering the most discussion around at the festival was Tran Anh Hung’s traditional period piece studying the intersection of romance and food. The Taste of Things only received more traction outside of Cannes when it was announced that France would be selecting it as their candidate for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards over Anatomy of a Fall, which went on to receive 5 nominations.

Taking place in France in 1885, The Taste of Things follows Eugénie (Binoche), a storied chef who works under the famous restaurant owner, Dodin Bouffant (Magimel). Over the past twenty years, the pair have worked and lived together, sharing a deep connection that extends past solely food. Their passion for the artistry of cooking and food presentation has made them a strong team whose dishes attract diners all around the world. Despite Dodin’s love and admiration for Eugénie, she is not interested in taking his hand in marriage. She is content with the status quo and wants to maintain her independence. After 20 years of knowing each other, Dodin decides to express his love in the best way he knows how – to cook a dish for her for the very first time.

The relationship between cuisine and romance has been ingrained in French culture for centuries. The Taste of Things pays tribute to these two pleasurable facets of the human experience in a joyful, yet bittersweet fashion. It’s a stunning technical achievement that effectively captures the beauty of human connection specifically when both parties share the same passion.

Hung is an immersive filmmaker who is effectively captures the five senses through his filmmaking. This is especially apparent in the film’s multiple extended cooking sequences. These scenes are shot in such a way that the audiences can practically smell and taste the food that is being prepared. There is a tremendous attention to detail to ensure the preparation of each dish is presented in an accurate fashion. It really feels as if audiences are watching two experts of their craft preparing mouth watering dishes. The passion for the subject matter is not only apparent within the direction, but also the acting. Binoche and Magimel give beautifully understated performances that convey the deep bond that these character share, through cooking together. However, while the film’s depiction of culinary arts is masterful, every time it veers away from food, it loses its luster. Its central romance is steeped in cliches and doesn’t necessarily offer anything that audiences haven’t seen before. Meanwhile, there is not a whole lot of depth to these characters, outside of their shared passion for food.

In the end, The Taste of Things may stumble when food isn’t its focal point, but the majority of the film is gorgeously shot and tenderly directed, led by a pair of strong central performances by Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel. It is especially a must-see for foodies and easily joins the ranks of such films as Tampopo and Like Water for Chocolate as one of the best depictions of the culinary arts put to film.

*still courtesy of IFC Films*

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Tristan French