By Tess Wheeler
Have you ever wanted to leave a cinema hungrier than when you entered? The Taste of Things is the film for you.
A beautiful depiction of historical French cuisine and mature love, Tran Anh Hung’s The Taste of Things follows two gourmet cooks, Eugenie (Juliette Binoche), and Dodin (Benoît Magimel), who have shared a professional and not-so professional relationship for 20 years. The film begins in Dodin’s French country house kitchen, with 30 minutes of vivid culinary scenes as we watch Eugenie and Dodin prepare food for their friends. I, and the rest of the captivated audience, could not help gasping with delight following every new dish created.
It is hard to pinpoint the highlight of the film. Options include the reading of a long-winded menu of a visiting royal, whose meal ends up taking 8 hours to finish, or a smaller scale meal showing the weird side of French cuisine, where the men eat chicken with towels over their head to preserve their dignity.
Then again, the highlight could also be the love between the two leads, shown through the preparation of food, and their joy in creating together. Binoche and Magimel captured this uncomplicated tenderness perfectly.
Be prepared for a multi-course feast that will leave you hungry for more.
4/5 Pelicans.