I'll Take Your Best Ratatouille w/ a Table Next to Sir O'Toole
Written: Jul 09 '07 (Updated May 30 '09)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Bang For The Buck |
 |
|
|
Pros: Bird's Direction, Story, Look, Animation, Score, Characters, & Voices.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: Ratatouille is a Delightful, Charming Masterpiece from Brad Bird helmed by great characters and imagery that families will enjoy.
|
|
|
| thevoid99's Full Review: Ratatouille |
Known for his work in animation for such films as The Iron Giant and 2004's Pixar-animated film The Incredibles. Brad Bird is considered to be one of the best film animators for Pixar and Disney. In 2007, Bird returns with his third directorial feature about a rat who dreams of becoming a chef entitled Ratatouille. Directed by Bird and Jan Pinkava based on Bird's script with additional story credits to Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Emily Cook, and Kathy Greenberg. Ratatouille is about a rat in Paris who wants to be a chef. Helping a garbage boy to become a chef with the help of his late idol, they must contend with the changes of the restaurant as its head chef sells out to make Gusteau's name profitable with frozen foods. With a voice cast that includes Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo, Ian Holm, Will Arnett, James Remar, Brian Dennehy, Pixar regular John Ratzenberger, and the legendary Peter O'Toole.
Living in the French countryside with a colony of rats, Remy (voice by Patton Oswalt) is a rat with a special gift for smelling food that is unique to him. Along with his older brother Emile (Peter Sohn) and father Django (Brian Dennehy), the rats often eat food that isn't poisonous yet not unique for Remy. One day when he steals food with Emile, they get inside a house where Emile discovers Remy's secret for top-notch foods including spices and such. Remy’s secret hero is a chef named Gusteau (Brad Garrett) whose best-selling book Anyone Can Cook is an inspiration to the rat. When Remy learns that news that Gusteau died following a nasty review by notorious food critic Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole), he is saddened. Yet, when the owner of the house discovers rats in her home, the entire colony flees while Remy takes the book with him.
Separated from his colony during the escape, Remy finds himself in Paris. The home where the French create the greatest food. Also in Paris is Gusteau's famed restaurant which used to be the greatest by being one of the rare restaurants to have a five-star rating. Yet, due to Ego's review and Gusteau's death, it's now a three-star restaurant. Yet, through the spirit of Gusteau, Remy checks out the restaurant where it's now run by former sous-chef Skinner (Ian Holm). Arriving to the restaurant is a young man named Linguini (Lou Romano) who is hired as a garbage boy. During Linguini's attempt to clean the kitchen while all the chefs are cooking, he spills a soup where he tries to fix everything. Except that he has no talent so Remy comes in to save the day in secrecy where the soup becomes a hit. Skinner however, feels suspicious into how Linguini manage to concoct a soup that is now becoming the rage of Paris.
When Skinner finds Remy at the kitchen, he orders Linguini to kill the rat outside of the restaurant. Linguini learns that Remy is the genius little chef as he keeps him in his home. While Remy decides to make Linguini his puppet in order to make great food and such, Skinner's plans to sell Gusteau's name through frozen-food products is nearly derailed. Especially for the fact that Linguini might be Gusteau's son. Skinner decides to have Linguini to become a chef with the help of one of his revered and toughest chefs, Colette (Janeane Garafalo). Colette shows Linguini on how to run things while trying to re-create the brilliance of Gusteau's own recipes. Only Remy knows how to make them brilliant as eventually, Linguini and Colette fall in love. Another successful dish occurs making Gusteau's restaurant popular again as Skinner tries to figure out Linguini's own success.
When Remy finds his old colony including his dad and brother in Paris, he reluctantly leaves the colony to be with Linguini. Yet, Remy is often courted by Emile about bringing him and his pals top-notch food. Yet, when Remy starts to feel abandoned by Linguini in his newfound love for Colette. He is still trying to hide from Skinner as the truth about Linguini's parentage comes out with Skinner now out of the job. The attention over Gusteau's has now captured the attention of Anton Ego. Ego makes a visit during a press interview for Linguini. Thinking he doesn't need Remy anymore, thinks start to become troubling with Ego is hoping to be served the next day with a dish that has to be top-notch.
Skinner however, has his own plans discovering Linguini's secret as Remy ponders his own role while trying to figure out who to be loyal to. With Ego coming to Gusteau's, Skinner also wants to see Linguini fall as both he and Remy need each other with unexpected help hoping for big success.
The concept of a rat wanting to become a great chef in Paris restaurants is one that is definitely universal to all audiences. It's a concept that the film's original director Jan Pinkava had been trying to create for years until being replaced by Brad Bird who uses Pinkava's core story to create a film that is unique. Bird's script and direction is truly a marvel about a dreamer who wants to prove that his gift for smelling great food and cooking talents shouldn't be limited because he's a rat. While it's clear that being a rat, especially in a restaurant is a bad thing to chefs. Yet, it's the story about a chef that wants to cook that really shows the heart of the film.
Bird's knack for drama and comedy is wonderful, especially physical comedy concerning not just Linguini but also Skinner during a chase scene he has with Remy. It's humor that isn't dirty or too clean but one that is universal to all kinds of audiences. Through his direction, the film has a unique look through its animation that it has a nice balance of drama and comedy. The drama is told with subtlety in themes of family and loyalty. Yet, the film is really about dreamers as there is no character that is loveable as Remy.
The animation is unique, largely due to the original sculptures and concept of Jan Pinkava. Each character has a unique look to their personalities from the human characters including Anton Ego who looks very cold and such or Skinner, a small man with a devilish face. The animation and visual effects is very wonderful without having the audience recognize whose face is the voice. Something that some computer-animated films make the mistake of like in Shark Tale. The animation is also brilliant in the way it captures the look of Paris.
Cinematographers Robert Anderson and Sharon Calahan along with production designer Harley Jessup create a wonderful look to Paris where it has a feel and look to the city that is imaginative. While it's more colorful to the some of the more live-action films that show Paris, it just has a look that will make anyone want to visit the place. Even the look of the food including the dishes look delicious. Editor Darren T. Holmes brings a wonderfully rhythmic feel to the film to create an energy and style that brings excitement to the film's humor and drama. It also has moments of intensity through moments of action that is not seen much in most animated films. Sound editor Michael Silvers also does fantastic work for the film's sound with the sounds of pots, fires, and everything that is expected in a kitchen.
Then there's the amazing film score of Michael Giacchino. Easily one of the best film scores this year, Giacchino's score definitely has variety. Whether it's the serene sounds of Paris through accordions to more comical scores that has jazz notes and rhythms. Even the original song he wrote for French pop singer Camille is memorable for the atmosphere that is Paris. Giacchino's score is filled with flourishes of orchestral arrangements to convey the drama while mixing it with jazz for the film's more intense action sequences.
The film's cast is wonderfully assembled with memorable characters along with cast of actors for the voices that are unique. Smaller roles ranging from Pixar regular John Ratzenberger as head waiter Mustafa, Will Arnett as sous-chef Horst, James Remar as appetizer chef Larousse, and Teddy Newton as Skinner's lawyer are all memorable with their witty humor. Notably Ratzenberger as the nervous Mustafa and Arnett as Horst who has extravagant claims about his behavior. Dual performances from Julius Callahan and Tony Fucile are great with Callahan playing fish chef Lalo and Skinner's businessman Francois. Fucile does double duty in playing pastry chef Pompidou and the health inspector called upon by Skinner. Another dual performance but for smaller parts come from director Brad Bird as a narrator of cheese and as Ego's assistant. Jake Steinfeld also has a wonderful small part as Git, a beefed up rat who is one of Emile's friends.
Brad Garrett is great as the voice of Gusteau with all of his witty charm and inspirational wisdom with an accent that fits the personality of Gusteau. Ian Holm is wonderful for the devilish Skinner who sells out the name of Gusteau to make money when his own plans are derailed. Holm just brings a lot of humor to the villainous character. Janeane Garafalo also goes French as the tough Colette who believes in perfection and everything that lives up to the Gusteau name. Garafalo is funny and sweet in her voice portrayal. Lou Romano is great in voicing the young, clumsy Linguini who knows he doesn't have talents while trying to find his niche in the restaurant he's working for. Peter Sohn is very funny as the rat Emile who pretty much likes to eat anything while causing trouble for Remy.
Brian Dennehy is excellent as Django, Remy's father who tries to understand his son's gift while revealing his own mistrust towards humans and stuff. Dennehy brings the right sense of fraternal comfort and realism to that character. The legendary Peter O'Toole shines in what has to be one of his best voice roles as Anton Ego. While his voice might be recognizable to cinephiles and adult audiences, O'Toole truly brings a coldness and humorless that is the character of Anton Ego as a man who loves food, but like isn't good enough for him. It's a fantastic performance from the legendary actor. Patton Oswalt is great in the voice of Remy bringing a great mix of humor, drama, and sensitivity to a character dreamers can relate to. Oswalt's voice-over narration also works in how he observes the situations and everything including how he interacts with the spirit of Gusteau.
Included in the theatrical release of Ratatouille is a teaser to the upcoming WALL-E which marks possibly the final collaboration between Disney and Pixar about the last robot on earth. A short film called Lifted by Gary Rydstrom is a wonderful five-minute short about an alien taking an abduction exam that goes horribly wrong. It's a wonderful short while the trailer for WALL-E is just amazing and should be widely anticipated.
While it's definitely superior to other Disney/Pixar releases like last year's Cars, Ratatouille is definitely not just one of the best Disney/Pixar films but also the year's best family film. Brad Bird and company truly made a film that kids will definitely enjoy as well as older audiences. It's funny, it's got a great look, it's got some nice drama, wonderful action, and everything that guarantees its entertainment value. In the end, Ratatouille is a truly magnificent, imaginative masterpiece from Brad Bird.
Brad Bird/Pixar Films: (Toy Story) - (A Bug's Life) - (Toy Story 2) - (The Iron Giant) - (Monster's Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Cars - WALL-E - Up - (Toy Story 3)
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Family Movie
Viewing Method: Studio Screening/Premiere
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
thevoid99
|
 - Top 100 |
|
Member: Steven Flores
Location: Smyrna, Georgia
Reviews written: 1540
Trusted by: 440 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.