The influence TV superstar and famous French cookbook author Julia Child has is larger than one may think. Her accomplishments changed how women were viewed as professional chefs, how the public thought about women's rights and how people consumed food media and dietary culture.
In "Julia," the documentary shows the effect Child had on the world while sharing pieces of her personal life with her husband Paul. Co-directors Betsy West and Julie Cohen, from "RBG" and "My Name is Pauli Murray," deliver another empowering documentary on an influential woman in American history.
JULIA | Official Trailer (2021) www.youtube.com
It's a comprehensive and heart-warming piece on her life from her humble beginnings to cooking at Le Cordon Bleu.
The writing is as quirky as she was, in all good ways. According to interviews, Child was known to be naughty at times and had a great sense of humor. She even loved the infamous "Saturday Night Live" parody of her show "The French Chef," which aired after she cut her hand on live TV. But as fun as some topics were, they also don't leave out some of her struggles which is appreciated and necessary to not idolize Julia Child but rather sympathize with her.
People who were interviewed range from relatives to modern-day TV celebrities like Ina Garten and leaders of women's health organizations. This alone shows the scope of her influence besides a cookbook.
If viewers love American history and food, "Julia" is a perfect documentary to get a large helping of comfort food in a movie form.
Score: 10/10
See "Julia" in theaters starting Friday , November 19, 2021. Follow the reporter Samantha Incorvaia at @s_incorvaia and follow her podcast Plot Devices.
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