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Julie & Julia Tasty Despite One Cook Too Many

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 7, 2009 6:43 AM CDT

(Newser) – Dual biopic Julie & Julia would have been a lot better if it had focused solely on Julia Child, say critics, but Meryl Streep's performance as the famous chef more than compensates for the second, weaker storyline about a blogger who tackles Child's recipes.

Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: Nora Ephron's "ode to food, obsession and finding one's bliss" is "one-half delightful and one-half disappointing; luckily, the delightful part stays with you while the rest fades away."

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: "Meryl Streep makes such a tasty and larger-than-life Julia in a nostalgically evoked late-'40s Paris—and director Nora Ephron depicts food with such mouthwatering relish —that it's worth stomaching the pancake-flat sequences with her supposed early 21st-century counterpart, Julie Powell," played by Amy Adams.
Rafer Guzmán, Newsday: Streep "is this film's butter. All the rest is garnish."

Meryl Streep portrays Julia Child in a scene from "Julie & Julia." (AP Photo/Columbia Pictures/Sony, Jonathan Wenk)

Amy Adams portrays Julie Powell in a scene from, "Julie & Julia." (AP Photo/Columbia Pictures/Sony, Jonathan Wenk)

Amy Adams portrays Julie Powell in a scene from "Julie & Julia." (AP Photo/Columbia Pictures/Sony, Jonathan Wenk)

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Julie & Julia Tasty Despite One Cook Too Many

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Streep Wows as Iron Lady

Helps redeem otherwise mediocre film

Don't Sprint to See The Runaways

Dakota Fanning-Kristen Stewart vehicle divides critics

It's Complicated Really a Simple Rom-Com

It may not be complicated, but Alec Baldwin's performance shines

Look Out, Pixar: Mr. Fox Is Fantastic

Is it a film for kids? Who cares! gush critics

This Amelia Never Takes Off

Swank shines as Earhart in largely forgettable biopic

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Julie & Julia Tasty Despite One Cook Too Many

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

chef • movie review • Meryl Streep • Nora Ephron • Julia Child • biopic

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Streep Wows as Iron Lady

Helps redeem otherwise mediocre film

Don't Sprint to See The Runaways

Dakota Fanning-Kristen Stewart vehicle divides critics

It's Complicated Really a Simple Rom-Com

It may not be complicated, but Alec Baldwin's performance shines

Look Out, Pixar: Mr. Fox Is Fantastic

Is it a film for kids? Who cares! gush critics

This Amelia Never Takes Off

Swank shines as Earhart in largely forgettable biopic

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?