Julie & Julia (2009)

Julie & Julia, a film by Nora 'When Harry Met Sally' Ephron, celebrates pioneer TV chef and cookery book author Julia Child, who is famous for bringing French cuisine to the American masses.

The story contrasts the life of Julia (Meryl Streep), as she enrolls in Le Cordon Bleu cookery school in post-war Paris, with that of would-be novelist Julie Powell (Amy Adams) who is working in a call centre in post-9/11 New York. Intertwined in Julia's journey towards getting her cookbook - Mastering the Art of French Cooking - published is Julie's life-changing decision to cook all 524 recipes from the cookbook over the course of a year. She describes her experiences on a blog that will eventually be turned into a novel.

Meryl Streep won the Best Actress Golden Globe and is up for an Oscar this month for her performance – and it’s easy to see why. Her impersonation of Julia Child, with her fluting voice, sense of humour and joie de vivre about cooking, is near perfect. She has an on-screen compatibility with Stanley Tucci, who plays her diplomat husband Paul, that was no doubt helped by their time together during the filming of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Amy Adams also gives a strong performance as Julie, generally supported in her endeavours by her husband Eric (Chris Messina) in spite of the strain that her blog puts on their relationship.

As someone who finds several of Nora Ephron's romantic comedies - which include 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'You've Got Mail' - a little hard to swallow, this is one that you can sink your teeth into. It's as much about following a dream as it is about relationships. If you hate the sound of people chewing, this movie may be hard to bear at times, but foodies should love it and recipes such as boeuf bourguignon and tarte tatin will unleash the gourmand within you. Make sure your fridge is well stocked before you watch it…

Director: Nora Ephron
Starring: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams
Certificate: 12
Runtime: 118 minutes (approx.)
Special Features: Behind-the-Scenes Featurette “Secret Ingredients: Creating Julie & Julia” and Commentary by Nora Ephron
Release date: 8 March 2010
RRP: £19.99

Stephen Rowe, Public Relations, City Law Firm