SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE (1999)
A Film Review
Copyright Dragan Antulov 2004
The author of this review lives in the part of the world where one of
most popular proverbs says that "path to someone's heart goes
through that person's stomach". In other words, it is impossible to
reach romantic bliss without satisfying some of the more existential
needs. One of few Hollywood romantic comedies to accept this truth
is SIMPLY IRRESTISTIBLE, directed in 1999 by Mark Tarlov.
The script, written by Judith Roberts, is set in New York where
young Amanda Shelton (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) has just
inherited small restaurant from her mother. Amanda is not likely to
enjoy in this restaurant for long because she lacks cooking talent and
clientele gradually disappears. Young business executive Tom
Bartlett (played by Sean Patrick Flannery) has different problems - he
is about to open elite restaurant in his department store, but his
business success is total opposite of his miserable love life.
Mysterious cab driver (played by Christopher Durang) intervenes by
giving magic crab to Amanda. This leads not only to accidental
encounter with Tom, but also transforms Amanda into extraordinary
cook, able to spark long-suppressed romantic passions in all those
who taste her recipes.
Obviously inspired by Mexican hit LIKE WATER FOR
CHOCOLATE, Judith Roberts' script tries to mix romance and
celebration of culinary skills. Unfortunately, this mix only results in
film being too sweet to be taken seriously. There are some truly
magic moments in the film, and the acting by Gellar and few
supporting players (Patricia Clarkson in the role of Tom's love-struck
assistant) are very good, but the plot is too confusing and the "magic"
seems more like a convenient deus ex machina device than integral
part of the story. SIMPLY IRRESTISTIBLE is still better than most of
Hollywood's products of the same genre, but this doesn't amount to
much more than being merely watchable.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
Review written on October 11th 2004
Dragan Antulov a.k.a. Drax
http://film.purger.com - Filmske recenzije na hrvatskom/Movie Reviews in
Croatian
http://www.ofcs.org - Online Film Critics Society
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