Early Bird Special

Julie & Julia

Maybe the most comedic part of this movie was that when I walked into the theater, everyone was over 60. Maybe that fact that we went to the matinee had something to do with it... This theatre was not sparsely seated either; we had a lot of company. Well, there was a sliver of the under 30 demographic, but, that rare representation was either me and my friend Lou, or a grand-daughter accompanying her grandma. And it was funny to see these husbands dragged along with their wives to see a chick-flick on date night. Not even age can change that ritual. I felt very honored to share that moment with such a wise generation. I also felt very prompted to be on my best behavior, as to present the best reflection of my own generation.

Regarding the movie, itself, Meryl Streep is still the best thing since sliced-bread. The woman is genius...I love what she comes up with for her characters...all the mannerisms and little things. I am trying to think of a time when she has disappointed me... and actually, Momma Mia comes to mind... but besides that, she has an incredible record. A Prairie Home Companion kind of left me scratching my head too...but let's not dwell on it. Paris...Paris had some showtime in this movie, so that also made it pretty easy for me to love.

On the other hand, I could not appreciate Amy Adam's character. Maybe it was because Meryl Streep was so amazing... Most of the time, not all of the time (but still most of the time), I wanted to walk out on Julie, like her husband did (it only lasted a day, don't feel too bad for her...). That is harsh, but she was frustrating to watch. And I am a big fan of the Bell Jar and Girl, Interrupted, so that right there says that I appreciate intense emotional breakdowns. Not in this case though. And Amy Adams should have double checked with someone on the pronunciation of boeuf, because she got it wrong, and then repeated it 100 times throughout the movie. I will say that I was glad that in the end she found herself and her confidence...probably because I wasn't around telling her how pathetic she looked when she rolled on the ground in chicken stuffing. Mary Lynn Rajskub (that name is almost as wild as Mariska Hargitay) kept my head in the game though. She was pretty funny....and if you happened to see her interview on Conan O'Brien the other night, she looked like a downright foxy lady...and that is how I am going to put a positive twist to this ending.

goodnight