Burnt (2015)
Certified: 15
Duration: 151 minutes
Directed by: John Wells
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Omar Sy, Daniel Brühl, Matthew Rhys, Alicia Vikander, Uma Thurman, Emma Thompson, Lily James, Riccardo Scamarcio
KRS Releasing Ltd
Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) has a personality problem that is threatening his career.
Losing his job as the head chef at one of the best restaurants in Paris, his career is now imploding.
He is living in London with the hopes of starting a new life. He wants to be part of a top restaurant in a highly established hotel, run by Tony (Daniel Brühl). Frightening Tony with the potential critic that he has invited to visit the hotel, Adam ends up in charge of the kitchen, bringing in his staff and regularly tested by Dr Rosshilde (Emma Thompson).
His staff includes just out of prison Max (Riccardo Scamarcio), Michel (Omar Sy), David (Sam Keeley), a new cook on thescene, and Helene (Lexi Benbow-Hart), a single mother and a sous chef in another restaurant.
Adam has to be careful not to let his ego get the better of him as he drives everyone, including himself, too hard in an attempt to get his third Michelin star while navigating his emotions as he and Helene start to get closer.
Cooper fills well the central point on which the film hinges and even though his is a difficult character to like, as he comes complete with a set of arrogance and temperamental fluctuations that are very much all over the movie, the audience is likely to take his side. This is mostly due to the actor’s inherent charm and the way he swaggers through the movie. Another noticeable factor in this picture is the onscreen chemistry between him and Emma Thompson and Sienna Miller.
Burnt has several things going for it. It’s a personality study of its central character and examines how difficult or not it is to implode and explode on one’s success.
The film fluctuates and progresses in the tones set to it by its central characters’ moods. It entertains, frustrates, soothes and punches in the same manner that Adam high strings himself and walks a tight rope.
As a low point, the movie touches on various characters and subplots but unfortunately does not give each the weighting deserved.
Nonetheless, it brings forward its main point vividly: Burnt is a movie about redemption and how the road to it can at times prove to be not only difficult but also very perilous to those around you.