The Hundred-Foot Journey Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

The Hundred-Foot Journey Blu-ray Movie Review

For those craving an airy pastry rather than something more filling...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown December 17, 2014

Fourteen years after Chocolat was nominated for five Academy Awards (including Best Picture), director Lasse Hallström remains a culinary romantic, finding joy and inspiration in the tale of a young master chef caught between two very different worlds. But The Hundred-Foot Journey lacks seasoning and flavor. Conflict is mired in convenience, melodrama gives way to sentimentality (and both ring false), and the intriguing culture clashes that drive the film are handled with a heavy hand and a twang of over-plucked heartstrings. The performances are excellent -- Manish Dayal, Hellen Miren and Om Puri in particular -- and Linus Sandgren's cinematography suitably exquisite. And the film is as breezy as it is harmless. Like Chocolat, though, it doesn't reach for greatness. It just settles in, tells a saccharine story and hopes its audience finds depth where there's little.

Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is an ingénue with the gastronomic equivalent of perfect pitch. Displaced from their native India, the Kadam family, led by Papa (Om Puri), settles in the quaint village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the south of France. Filled with charm, it is both picturesque and elegant – the ideal place to settle down and open an Indian restaurant, the Maison Mumbai. That is, until the chilly chef proprietress of Le Saule Pleureur, a Michelin starred, classical French restaurant run by Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren), gets wind of it. Her icy protests against the new Indian restaurant a hundred feet from her own escalate to all out war between the two establishments – until Hassan's passion for French haute cuisine and for Mme. Mallory's enchanting sous chef, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon), combine with his mysteriously delicious talent to weave magic between their two cultures and imbue Saint-Antonin with the flavors of life that even Mme. Mallory cannot ignore. At first Mme. Mallory's culinary rival, she eventually recognizes Hassan's gift as a chef and takes him under her wing.

The feud between Papa and Madame Mallory pokes and prods at significance -- an East vs. West war of ideas and ideals -- but only brushes its fingers across the surface. England's relationship with India, historically or otherwise, is ripe for exploration, and in so many fascinating ways. Yet Hallström and screenwriter Steven Knight aren't really interested in digging all that deep, perhaps for fear of negating the airiness that keeps the film's script in the culinary clouds. It doesn't make for a bad film, mind you. Just a dull drama. Hassan, Mallory, Papa and the rest are rather two-dimensional as well; without much beyond standard A-to-B feuding, A-to-B romance, A-to-B coming of age, and A-to-B light-heartedness. The good natured prevail, justice is dispensed upon the despicable, and they all lived happily ever after. Which wouldn't necessarily be a problem if Ratatouille didn't deliver a more sweeping sense of achievement, hard-fought success, and having arrived as a professional.

Hallström certainly attempts to ground the characters in tragedy and hardship, and nearly manages to do so by the forty-five minute mark. But the endgame that unfolds is so pat and conventional that it's at odds with anything that comes before it. The Hundred-Foot Journey is at its best over the stove or at the local marketplace; lingering on row after row of fresh ingredients, sitting patiently with Hassan as he conjures magic in a mixing bowl, or watching as the young chef invents, evolves and innovates. These moments, though quiet and subdued, are delightful, bringing Hassan and Mallory alongside one another convincingly, with increased effortlessness. Sadly, Hassan's struggles with his family, budding affection for Marguerite, and role in his father's emotional healing are sanitized by cliché after cliché, to the point that anything unique or substantive is scrubbed away. The result is a gentle but innocuous drama that's all too easy to forget.

The Hundred-Foot Journey Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Though crisp and exceedingly well-detailed, The Hundred-Foot Journey's 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode is a touch dark and heavy; not so much that becomes a distraction, but just enough to ask the question: is this exactly how the film is meant to look? Crush is a minor issue, as are instances of over-heated contrast and twice-baked fleshtones. Shadow detail takes a hit here and there as well, edge definition struck me as a bit too sharp, and fine textures, while refined, aren't consistently revealing. That said, the majority of the shots and sequences are gorgeous, with rich hues, warm primaries and lovely lighting. (Oppressive as black levels tend to become.) I was taken aback more than once by the beauty, despite the nagging feeling that there are two films battling for dominance, with one -- the joyous, sun-struck culinary romance -- coming out on top. If this is precisely the look cinematographer Linus Sandgren is aiming for, you may see a small update to this video review. But I suspect the image has been somewhat tweaked... perhaps even a bit aggressively. If so, my 4.0 will stand, or possibly slide to a 3.5. If it's intentional, expect a bump up to 4.5.

The Hundred-Foot Journey Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Full and enveloping, Disney's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track brings the film's utterly elegant sound design to the home theater environment with careful consideration and faithful poise. Dialogue is intelligible and perfectly prioritized, directional effects are delicate and plentiful, and every street, house, restaurant and marketplace are immersive and inviting. LFE output is restrained but satisfying, and rear speaker activity is light but oh so convincing. Add to that terrific dynamics, smooth cross-channel pans, and the fine-tuned balance of A. R. Rahman's music and there's really nothing to complain about.

The Hundred-Foot Journey Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Hundred-Foot Journey with Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey (HD, 12 minutes): Producers Spielberg and Winfrey discuss their first joint project since The Color Purple, what drew each of them to the script, and their fondness for the adaptation and final film. It's quite satisfying, until you realize that, were it only longer, it would make for a great commentary track. Now imagine that...
• The Recipe, The Ingredients, The Journey (HD, 16 minutes): Go behind the scenes with the cast and crew for a look at the story, characters, themes and food featured in the film.
• On Set with Oprah Winfrey (HD, 4 minutes): Pretty self-explanatory.
• Coconut Chicken (HD, 5 minutes): A guide to preparing one of the film's dishes.

The Hundred-Foot Journey Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I felt very little connection to The Hundred-Foot Journey, despite coming to care a great deal for young Hassan. The film is the equivalent of a frozen protein being served in an exquisite restaurant; the moment you taste it, you know it isn't as fresh as the menu claims. Disney's Blu-ray release is much better -- thanks to a strong AV presentation -- though it lacks any meaty supplements. Ultimately, I would recommend renting this one before considering a purchase