By Ed Koch
Julie & Julia
As many of you know, I recently spent six weeks in the hospital and two weeks recovering at home. “Julie & Julia” was the first film I saw in eight weeks, and it was a wonderful choice. It is pure entertainment.
The title of the film should be amended to “Julie, Julia & Nora.” Nora Ephron’s script and direction along with the performances of Meryl Streep and Amy Adams add up to one joyous picture.
Ms. Ephron did something unique in basing the movie on the life of Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and the experience of
Julie Powell (Amy Adams) who wrote an on-line blog about her experience in cooking all 524 recipes in Julia’s cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” She completed the task within her self-imposed deadline of 365 days. The film goes back and forth between the lives of the two women, and both actresses are totally convincing in their roles.
The supporting roles of Julia’s husband, Paul (Stanley Tucci), and young Julie’s husband, Eric (Chris Messina), are also marvelously performed. One scene of Julia and Paul becoming sensual in bed may cause some, who thought of Julia as a mother figure, to close their eyes feeling as though they accidentally violated the privacy of their parents’ bedroom.
