JULIE & JULIA

Drama
Based on a true story

F.Y.I.
Cobb salad was invented in 1926 at The Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles. It is named for its creator, a Mr. Bob Cobb. This is a "composed" salad, meaning the ingredients are arranged on the plate as opposed to all being tossed together. Originally it was a way for the restaurant to simply use up leftovers, but it soon became the Brown Derby's most popular dish. The main ingredients are boiled eggs, crisp bacon and diced chicken.

Aspic is a savoury clear jelly prepared from a liquid stock made by simmering the bones of beef, veal, chicken, or fish. The aspic congeals when refrigerated by virtue of the natural gelatine that dissolves into the stock from the tendons. Commercial powdered gelatine is sometimes added to ensure a stiff set. Aspic is used to glaze foods such as cold meats and fish, eggs, poached or roasted poultry, and vegetables; plain aspic chopped or cut into shapes often garnishes cold dishes.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Meryl Streep: 36-year old Julia Child
Stanley Tucci: her husband Paul, a Foreign Service officer
Amy Adams: 29-year old government employee Julie Powell
Chris Messina: her husband Eric
Mary Lynn Rajskub: Julie's best buddy Sarah
Linda Emond: Julia’s coauthor Simone 'Simka' Beck
Helen Carey: the other book collaborator Louisette Bertholle
Jane Lynch: Julia’s sister Dorothy

REVIEW
Jumping from one to another, the parallel stories of two women very much removed from each other (both in time and class) but having two things in common, the love of cooking and writing about it, is entertaining and educational. There are frequent amusing bits and although the acting is uniformly good, Meryl Steep stands out above all the others (what else is new?).

Just over two hours long, it does not have to be: some scenes can be eliminated entirely while others could easily be pared back. For that “transgression” it loses a star.

A smattering of applause as the end credits rolled indicated that many in the audience enjoyed the film; I did too. And I don’t even cook.

CLASSIFICATION
for brief strong language and some sensuality.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
Julie says she has decided to cook all 524 recipes in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". In fact there are 536 recipes in the book.

P.S.
Fans of the long running television show Saturday Night Live will recognize Dan Akroyd doing his famous parody of Julia Child.

P.S.S.
Julie Powell's archived blog "The Julie/Julia Project" can be found at http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html