A szenvedély íze

Törékeny történelmi film az ételek iránti imádatról, illetve Juliette Binoche és Benoît Magimel szerelméről, akiket az ételek szeretete köt össze. Mindketten mesteri szakácsok, beavatottan tudnak beszélni az ételről, és mindketten élvezik az ínyenc fogásokat. A felvételek túlnyomó része elegáns lassított felvételekből áll az ételkészítésről, másik jelentős része pedig olyan felvételekből, amelyeken az emberek esznek - ők ketten, vagy a vendégeik. A szinte teljes egészében a ház belső tereiben játszódó film cselekménye gyér, és csak a központi pár finoman ábrázolt, előkelően romantikus, kölcsönös tisztelettel teli kapcsolata tartja össze. Aki szereti a főzést, a sütést és az elegáns francia étkezést, adjon egy-két csillagot az értékelésemhez (2023.05.27)

The ultimate food-porn. A supreme tribute to French gastronomy, in which most of the characters are hedonists and gourmets, top chefs and experts in the areas of food, animals and nature. They’re also great conversationalists, so they also talk about food and its origins and history in an exquisite way. A large part of the film is composed of scenes of cooking refined dishes and their subsequent consumption, for which viewers are prepared in the opening half-hour sequence featuring dancing between cooktops and serving on the table, accompanied only by the ambient sounds of the kitchen and epicurean sighs. The connective tissue between courses is a tender romantic storyline in which expressions of love are never delivered without a candlelit dinner and the shared stirring of vegetable broth or Burgundy sauce is a prelude to intimate moments. A film in which the way to one’s heart is really through their stomach and in which even the anatomical description of eating sounds like love poetry. (2023.07.08)

A wonderful film about cooking from historic France. The story is set in 1870 and the main character, considered the Napoleon of the culinary arts, cooks for his influential friends with Eugenie, who is his cook but also his mistress, but so far refuses to marry. They also have the daughter from a neighbor who has a great talent for discerning flavors. The first hour is a great gastronomic experience, it is a pleasure to know that they really cook with fresh ingredients that they have to grow, pick and possibly hunt themselves. The second half veers into drama and it got a bit ragged for me, but the ending kicks things up again nicely. I also praise the intelligent dialogue and solid acting performances. Taste does rub off with age, requires a good memory. This wine has everything: elegance, nobility and purity. Impressive France. 75%. (2024.04.15)

“Worse than starving is having food just for daily fuel without knowing properly what you're eating.” Dodin's friends produce a lot of morsels of wisdom while feasting, and this could easily be another. You won't find any pressurized Boiling Point in late 19th century France, and the masterfully shot first 20 minutes are proof of that. The steam evaporating, the sizzle of the fat oozing out, the pots slowly bubbling and inside them dozens of organic ingredients you could only dream of when shopping in a supermarket. To make all that whirring or rustling stand out, the film also lacks any music. On the cooking and gourmet side, it’s pure masturbation. What is surprising, however, is that even the romantic line in the background of this gastro-paradise does not lag behind the cooking. The central couple in the autumn of their lives manage to sell emotions in the kitchen as well as in the bedroom. In short, Anh Hung Tran has sent out into the world the most French film "from the good old France" in years, and one where you really should have your mind made up about where you're going to eat after the credits roll. (2023.11.04)

From the outside, The Taste of Things is practically the pinnacle of a genre that could be called simply “gastro-porn”. At its core, however, it is also a film that touches on so many interesting and thoughtful themes that all the flavours it evokes during the screening will stay with you for some time to come. A sensitively made drama with masterful performances and I wouldn't be surprised if Benoît Magimel wins the César for the third year in a row. [KVIFF 2023] (2023.09.13)