Like the best French cuisine, "Ratatouille" is ambitious and delightful. It blends a savory stew of ingredients that, when whisked together, create a wondrously tasty and visually stunning dish.
The story of Remy, the rat who dreams of becoming a gourmet chef (voiced by Patton Oswalt), combines the power of following one’s passion, the joy of cooking and the value of family ties while evoking the majesty and romance of Paris. The film’s overall Gallic touches -- whether of the gourmet, social or linguistic variety -- are inspired indeed.
The animation is sumptuous as well.
Shots of little Remy in all his rodent simplicity, held in the palm of his lanky human pal Linguini (Lou Romano) in his tiny apartment, almost incidentally reveal the splendor of the Parisian skyline as a backdrop. The French countryside is similarly stunning, and the spacious kitchen of a top Parisian restaurant is rendered with incredible attention to realistic detail. The frenetic activity within it is consistently captivating.
As written and directed by Brad Bird, who is responsible for two of the best modern animated films, "The Incredibles" and "Iron Giant," "Ratatouille" powerfully conveys subtle gustatory wonders, with a particularly charming early scene in which Remy describes the delicate art of blending flavors and spices to his brother Emile (Peter Sohn), who has a decidedly less evolved palate.
Adult foodies will be drawn to the sight of gastronomic wonders, and children will be fascinated by the concoctions whipped up by the cutest rodent since Mickey Mouse.
Remy forms an alliance with Linguini, who is given a job as a "garbage boy" at Gusteau’s, a five-star Parisian restaurant.Remy idolizes Auguste Gusteau, a famous chef whom he first glimpses on television. Gusteau (Brad Garrett) is a rotund and wise cook whose best-selling book "Anyone Can Cook" becomes Remy’s bible. After Gusteau’s death, Remy channels the late chef, who offers his culinary insights and spurs him to pursue his passion.
The film’s chief villain is the manager of Gusteau’s restaurant, Skinner (Ian Holm), a greedy entrepreneur who clearly lacks taste and sees Linguini as an interloper who will interfere with his taking over Gusteau’s financial empire.A secondary villain is the hilariously nasty food critic Anton Ego (voiced brilliantly by Peter O’Toole).
How Remy manages to survive in the most rodent-averse profession imaginable is a wonder to behold. He is an outcast on several fronts: despised by people in general and misunderstood by his family, who can’t understand why he isn’t content with the trashy cast-offs they gobble with gusto.
"Ratatouille" is delicious fun sure to be savored by audiences of all ages for its sumptuous visuals, clever wit and irresistibly inspiring tale.
Rated G and has a running time of one hour, 51 minutes.
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Date and Time
Friday Oct 5, 2007 Monday Oct 8, 2007
7 p.m., October 5 and 6,
2 p.m., October 7
1 p.m., October 8 (Columbus Day)
Location
Smith Opera House82 Seneca St.Geneva, NY 14456
Fees/Admission
All seats for this special family film are just $3
Website
Contact Information
Call 315-781-LIVE (5483) or toll-free 866-355-LIVE (5483)
