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Julie & Julia

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Nebs Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:01 pm Posts: 6385	Julie & Julia Julie & Julia Quote: Julie & Julia is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron starring Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Amy Adams, and Chris Messina. The film contrasts the life of chef Julia Child in the early years of her culinary career with the life of young New Yorker Julie Powell, who aspires to cook all 524 recipes in Child's cookbook in 365 days, a challenge she described on her popular blog that would make her a published author. Ephron's screenplay is adapted from two books: My Life in France, Child's autobiography written with Alex Prud'homme, and a memoir by Julie Powell documenting online her daily experiences cooking each of the 524 recipes in Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and she later began reworking that blog, The Julie/Julia Project. Both of these books were written and published in the same time frame (2004–06). The film is the first major motion picture based on a blog. In March 2008, Ephron began filming with Meryl Streep as Julia Child and Amy Adams as Julie Powell. On July 30, 2009, the film officially premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City; and, on August 7, 2009, it opened throughout North America. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams previously starred together in the critically acclaimed Doubt (2008). Streep and Stanley Tucci previously starred together in the box office smash The Devil Wears Prada (2006). _________________ ---!!---!!!!!!-11!!---!!---11---11!!!--!!-- Last edited by Nebs on Wed Aug 19, 2009 2:30 am, edited 3 times in total.
Fri Aug 07, 2009 2:07 am

Loyal "no rank" Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:43 pm Posts: 24502	Re: Julia & Julia Mixed bag. Here's the thing, Nora Ephron is to movies what McDonald's is to french fries. She shoots right for the middle and strikes greasy gold every time. A big mistake was made in combining Julie & Julia with My Life In France. Every single time the story moves away from 1940s/50s France to 2002 NYC, it deflates. I never once brought into the Julie Powell storyline (and yes, I realize it's based on a true story). It certainly doesn't help that I'm the only person in the galaxy that doesn't like Amy Adams. She's very blank. Meryl mostly knocks it out the park. There are a few moments of caricature but I blame the screenplay for that. They should have stuck with My Life in France and ditched the post 9/11 blogging angst. C+
Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:20 pm

Libs Sbil Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48678 Location: Arlington, VA	Re: Julia & Julia Julie & Julia, Nebs.
Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:32 pm

Loyal "no rank" Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:43 pm Posts: 24502	Re: Julia & Julia Libs wrote: Julie & Julia, Nebs. what sort of world do we live in when I see this before you Libs.
Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:33 pm

Mr. Inc Veteran Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:50 am Posts: 3350	Re: Julia & Julia That was my biggest problem with the book, which I never finished because I couldn't gain any interest in Julie's storyline. Her writing was fine, and often very funny but I just didn't care for Julie.
Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:35 pm

Libs Sbil Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48678 Location: Arlington, VA	Re: Julia & Julia loyalfromlondon wrote: Libs wrote: Julie & Julia, Nebs. what sort of world do we live in when I see this before you Libs. I don't actually know when I'm seeing this yet It might not be until Monday or Tuesday
Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:43 pm

Mr. Inc Veteran Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:50 am Posts: 3350	Re: Julie & Julia B+ Better than the book, Julie & Julia. Streep makes this movie. Adams is good, but anyone could have played her role. Really entertaining.
Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:20 am

Michael A Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:48 am Posts: 6245	Re: Julie & Julia Well, predictably, I loved it. The film is flawed, Nephron is insistent upon including all the little pieces of her characters in the film. This may be seen as an attempt to flesh them out and make them feel realistic, but it is done so slightly and arbitrarly that these little sections (the romance for both characters, the political drama, mentions of 9/11) don't simply set up the plot-line for the film but they wind up feeling silly and unnecessary. And in a film where the 2 hour running time feels slightly too long and strained, I don't see why she had to add all of that in. Still, I didn't really care. It was cute, charming, funny, and occasionally resonated with real emotion. Both the characters do feel realistic, if all parts of their lives don't, and the acting from both is, naturally, superb. And apparently I'm the one person who thinks that Amy Adams was actually slightly more enjoyable to watch than streep, if even her role was simpler. I loved them both. 4/5. Flawed but very fun. _________________ Mr. R wrote: Malcolm wrote: You seem to think threatening violence against people is perfectly okay because you feel offended by their words, so that's kind of telling in itself. Exactly. If they don't know how to behave, and feel OK offending others, they get their ass kicked, so they'll think next time before opening their rotten mouths.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:11 am

Johnny Dollar The Lubitsch Touch Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm Posts: 11019	Re: Julie & Julia I liked it, more or less. It's way too long, almost hilariously so for a movie almost entirely devoid of real conflict, but the food looks yummy, Streep's a scream, and Amy Adams continues to be the cutest, most watchable actress in the world. No matter how bad the dialogue, she can sell it. _________________ k
Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:34 am

Libs Sbil Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48678 Location: Arlington, VA	Re: Julie & Julia Julie & Julia isn't always 100% successful at combining the stories of Julia Child and Julie Powell (some of Nora Ephron's transitions are a little jarring) smoothly, but this is a delightful motion picture and without a doubt the first good movie Ephron has been responsible for in over ten years. Meryl Streep, as one would expect, is absolutely tremendous as the larger-than-life Child; it's impossible to watch the film without having a goofy smile on one's face watching her...she nails the zest Julia had not only for food but also for life. The luminous and talented Amy Adams more than holds her own heading her own storyline...Julie is kind of self-centered and hard to sympathize with sometimes but Adams is so appealing in everything she does that this is negated. Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina provide effective supporting performances as their loving spouses. Plus, all the food looks really yummy. B+
Thu Aug 13, 2009 7:23 pm

spencer101f Full Fledged Member Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 1:26 am Posts: 91 Location: Tally Ho!	Re: Julie & Julia It was pretty cliche, but Adams and Streep made the film somewhat enjoyable. Grade: B
Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:37 pm

Bradley Witherberry Extraordinary Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 1:13 pm Posts: 15197 Location: Planet Xatar	Re: Julie & Julia J&J ended up charmin' my socks off... I really wasn't motivated to see this film, as one might tell by my viewing date - - I'm a fan of the Dan Ackroyd Julia Child (as ably addressed in the movie). But, as I watched it unspool, I saw that it was truly just another grrrrrlll power flick, and I mean that in the best possible way! This film had something to teach me about life, and that is exceedingly rare. The Meryl Streep Julia Child was frightenlying good, as one naturally expects from her. Even Amy Adams, who has the thankless role of the whiny bitch here, managed to elicit a trickle of melt from my frozen heart. It shouldn't work, but it does. ...and that, as it turns out, is the real life story of Julie, Julia, and Julie & Julia... out of (Oh, and BTW, it's really, really funny.)
Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:54 am

Magic Mike Wallflower Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am Posts: 35239 Location: Minnesota	Re: Julie & Julia JULIE & JULIA - 8/10 (B+) I thought this was delightful. I enjoyed both storylines, unlike a lot of people, and found both Amy Adams and Meryl Streep incredibly charming.
Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:50 am

jmovies Let's Call It A Bromance Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 pm Posts: 12333	Re: Julie & Julia Julie & Julia is naturally two movies made into one. There is the story of Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and her passion for cooking in France on her way to get a cooking book published and Julie Powell (Amy Adams)'s pursuit to complete all the receipes in Child's book in one year. While they are two different stories, they work wonderfully as one. While Adams' has some fun with her character, its Streep's potryal of Julia Child that steals the show as there is not one part where she falls flat. Her performance is definitely Oscarworthy. The film is plenty of laughs along the way and will leave your stomach wanting some food at the end. *******
Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:37 pm

_axiom The Wall Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:50 am Posts: 16163 Location: Croatia	Re: Julie & Julia 9/10 -> A- I was surprised by how much this movie was a blast. Meryl is brilliant as Julia Child. I haven't had any idea who Julia is and after watching the movie I spent hours watching Julia on youtube... Julie's story is the weak link in here. But otherwise the movie is very simple and communicates big things with simple scenes. Really, really great.
Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:56 am

Dr. Lecter You must have big rats Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany	Re: Julie & Julia B+ It's very very enjoyable and not just due to Meryl Streep's vibrant performance as Julia Child. Of course Streep is great (though I actually preferred her in It's Complicated), but it is also the rest of the cast that makes the film work. Stanley Tucci as Streep's husband is really fun and shows how underrated of an actor he is. Also I've been reading a lot of complaints about the movie coming to a screeching halt every time it switches to Julie's story. I disagree with that. Of course her story isn't as good as Julia Child's, but Amy Adams proves once again how good of an actress she is and makes it work. What doesn't really work, though is the character of her husband who is barely given anything to do. Not exactly Chris Messina's fault, but the screenplay's. Adams, however, represents the film's heart. Maybe not its best performance, but without her it wouldn't have worked as well. I also don't think it would have been a wise idea to just focus on Julia Child as some have suggested. It's a slight film with good performances, but miles better than anything Nora Ephron has done in a while. It almost makes me forgive her Bewitched and Hanging Up. _________________ The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:34 pm

trixster loyalfromlondon Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm Posts: 19697 Location: ville-marie	Re: Julie & Julia Pretty boring. Even Streep's performance isn't that interesting. And Adams is just whiny. _________________ Magic Mike wrote: zwackerm wrote: If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes. Same. Algren wrote: I don't think. I predict.
Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:40 am

_axiom The Wall Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:50 am Posts: 16163 Location: Croatia	Re: Julie & Julia _axiom wrote: 9/10 -> A- I was surprised by how much this movie was a blast. Meryl is brilliant as Julia Child. I haven't had any idea who Julia is and after watching the movie I spent hours watching Julia on youtube... Julie's story is the weak link in here. But otherwise the movie is very simple and communicates big things with simple scenes. Really, really great. Rewatched it. Now I'd give it: *1/2 / *** (B-) It's still good, but Julie's story was even draggier than i remember it to be while it's still so fun to watch Meryl be Julia.
Sat Feb 04, 2017 7:35 am
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Julie & Julia

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