No Reservations

By: Art

Director: Scott Hicks
Cast: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin
Rating: 3 out of 5

Scott Hicks’ No Reservations has a lot of sugar but not nearly enough spice. For a successful rom-com you need three crucial ingredients, chemistry between your two leads, a strong female protagonist (who range from Meg Ryan’s Sally to Kate Hudson’s Andie in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) and most importantly enough sizzle to keep the film cooking. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart tick the first two boxes but unfortunately leave the film a little overdone with not enough juice.

Zeta-Jones plays Kate, an uptight top chef who is more than a little obsessive about her art. Kate’s life changes unexpectedly when she is forced to look after her niece Zoe (played by Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin with her usual charm). Kate’s life is further complicated by the presence of a new sous chef Nick (Eckhart) who encourages her to defrost a little.

No Reservations is an adaptation of the German film Mostly Martha and has been criticised for lacking the spirit and subtlety of the original. I find the film to be like a toasted cheese sandwich - comfort food for a rainy afternoon - rather than a dazzling dish like Kate's famous roasted quail with truffle ravioli.

Sometimes you feel like something a little light, where you don't have to think too hard and this film is definitely one of those said movies. It contains a good mixture of drama (particularly at the start of film, for which the viewer will require at least two tissues) and a decent shake of romance.

Zeta-Jones and Eckhart have a nice chemistry and keep the film on a slow boil but suffer a little from a by-the-numbers script and lacklustre direction which keep the film from fulfilling it's true potential.

Verbatim:
Therapist: "Kate, I'm sure you will be able to prevent the worst from happening."
Kate: "And that would be?"
Therapist: "That he will tolerate you for any length of time."

In a word: Sweet