An eat the rich thriller that gives fine dining culture a well-done grilling, The Menu follows a group of ultra-rich foodies, who get far more than what they ordered.
Director: Mark Mylod
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult
Running time: 104 minutes
Reservations at Hawthorne are notoriously hard to get, only seating an elite group of 12 people at a time. Those lucky few get to visit the exclusive island, which houses what is considered the best dining experience in the world; as well as its staff led by esteemed haute chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). Less so a cook and more a culinary artist, Slowik is a perfectionist who inspires a cult-like devotion amongst his staff who operate with military precision as they dish-up their final masterpiece.
The film almost entirely takes place in an open kitchen and dining area, with a beautiful bay view. This slice of paradise quickly becomes a dungeon of sorts. However, the question is, who is truly torturing who?
The platter of characters in this ensemble initially feels bloated but settles throughout as we are fed information which in turn makes each of them distinctly distasteful. Anya Taylor Joy’s Margot anchors the story as our mysterious fish-out-of-water lead, more interested in smoking a cigarette than bowing at the altar of Slowik’s genius. This creates an interesting dynamic between the two with Fiennes delivering a multi-layered performance that is equally cold and cunning, as it is unhinged.
Much of this can also be credited to Seth Reiss and Will Tracy’s screenplay which allows the story to simmer, slowly peeling back the character’s layers with each course.
The whole cast delivers a Michelin star performance, each adding an essential ingredient to The Menu. Much of this can also be credited to Seth Reiss and Will Tracy’s screenplay which allows the story to simmer, slowly peeling back the character’s layers with each course. This unpredictability builds suspense, and you can never truly tell when things will reach their boiling point.
The 1% have always been an easy target for satire, and with something that has been substantially skewered as fine-dining, it was easy for the film to descend into eye-rolling class warfare. The film certainly tries to navigate and question the impact of the master-servant dynamic in hospitality. Despite this it never veers into preachiness, rather a sociopathic depiction of how it can make people feel.
The movie never truly encourages you to root for anyone outside Margot, it is openly unrealistic, even having a fair few laughs sprinkled on top. However, it is grounded in an authentic pain that many in the service industry will understand, even if they won’t exactly relate to it.
If Ratatouille taught us that anyone can cook, The Menu shows us how the gatekeepers of high cuisine can sour the taste. A well-acted and masterfully written subversive satire, Mark Mylod’s film will satisfy your taste buds.
Did you know? John Leguizamo based his character on Steven Seagal. The two co-starred in Executive Decision (1996)
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