Voilà!...Ratatouille is served

Movie Review by Maegan-Leigh Jacobs 

Picture Sourced: ratatouillemovie.net 

Brad Bird - the producer and director of Ratatouille, along with Pixar Animation Studios are proving to be an unbeatable combination. Heroes with impossible dreams are what movies are made of and that is exactly what is depicted in this fun, family comedy.

The film stars the voices of Patton Oswalt as Remy; a country rat with an exceptional sense of taste and smell who wants to be a chef in Paris. Lou Romano who voices Alfredo Linguini is a clumsy human who is new to the staff at top chef Auguste Gusteau’s restaurant as the garbage boy who befriends Remy. Ian Holm as Skinner, the head chef of Auguste Gusteau's restaurant; Janeane Garofalo as Colette Tatou, an employee at Gusteau's restaurant and the staff's only female chef. Peter O'Toole as Anton Ego, a restaurant critic; Brian Dennehy as Django, Remy's father and leader of his clan; Peter Sohn as Emile, Remy's older brother; and Brad Garrett as Auguste Gusteau, a recently deceased chef and former owner of Gusteau’s.

The title of the movie refers to the French dish ratatouille, which is served at the end of the film and also references the type of animal of the main character, a rat. The film is set in Paris, France which is known to be one of the best food capitals in the world.

The plot follows a rat named Remy, who dreams of becoming a chef despite his family’s wishes and the obvious problem of him being a rat in world where rodents are not welcomed in the kitchen. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself situated beneath a famous restaurant currently suffering a downturn in fortune, formally owned by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. This is where Remy meets Linguini, the fine French restaurant’s newly appointed garbage boy. Remy then tries to achieve his goal by forming an alliance with Linguini. Together they hatch out a plan to bring Remy’s creativity to the table that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down. This is however not achieved without a number of hick-ups along the way in both Remy and Linguini’s personal life.

If you describe the plot of Ratatouille to most people, they’ll most likely think it’s impossible or disgusting due to the thought of a rat being in the kitchen. However, the film goes against society norms with a message to kids that they can achieve their dreams despite of how impossible they might seem. The movie also highlights a number of other positive messages such as giving respect and credit to others, sticking together as a family, admitting when you’re wrong and making the right choices even in the face of possible negative consequences. The film also doesn’t miss out on a love connection between two characters – Linguini and Colette - which all audience’s love to see within a film. Animated or not!

The film does not make you particularly cry or laugh but this animated film has a number of elements which one will thoroughly enjoy while watching the movie which found me having a light smile across my face majority of the time. One; the voice acting? Spot on. Every character’s voice is distinctive, and it almost never feels like a celebrity’s voice tacked onto a character. It feels as if the characters themselves are speaking in their own unique voices. Two; the script and the story, the entire irony of it all­ – a street rat with a passion for fine food – is an extraordinary concept with a tight and smart script that flows from it. However, the pacing of the story I found odd and choppy at some points. There is an obvious villain and hero hinted from very start of the movie, there are actually two characters who could be considered the villain throughout the movie with an unexpected plot twist from one of them. Along with a shot-gun scene of granny trying to kill Remy and his clan completely overemphasized and overplayed.

 Ratatouille most probably won’t be placed at the top of the menu with some of Pixar’s other classics, such as Toy Story or Finding Nemo but its animated presentation is appealing and delightful. Although the film is not entirely perfect, it is an animated masterpiece. It withholds the true form of Pixar Animated Studio films with breathtaking animation, visual designs and the expected comedy-with-heart from Pixar that so many have grown to love.

Overall, I recommend that everyone should see this film. It is ideal for a movie night with the whole family.