Comments on: Julie & Julia

By: Amelia (Barcodes AU)

Amelia (Barcodes AU) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:53:24 +0000

I am looking forward to seeing this film very much. Meryl Streep is fantastic, and it’ll be good to see her in another comedy (after Mama Mia). I really like Amy Adams too – I’ve seen her only in Enchanted (went to see that with my little sister), and she really got me laughing then.

By: Carrie

Carrie — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:56:41 +0000

I tend to agree with Sally and Bette. I loved the movie, and I loved the performances, but I think it would have been even better if it had just been the story of Julia Child. I knew very little about her before seeing the film, and now that I realize what a passionate, fascinating life she led, I wish the film had shown more of her. And while Julie Powell’s story is engaging, that storyline just didn’t have the same punch as Julia’s scenes.

And Jane Lynch was fantastic! Loved that scene.

By: bette

bette — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:48:38 +0000

I’ve got to say that I wished the movie was about Julia only. It’s still a factor that the math that put this movie together didn’t think it would be interesting to a broad audience without having a younger woman as a focus.

A lot like Julia made people think about really good food and mastery, they bank on that film goers are uneducated about what would have been an intense brilliant movie without the “necessary” tiein to another age group. As if the kids won’t go out to eat without pizza being on the menu and a TV being on in the restaurant on a channel they like.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:36:27 +0000

I think this movie works because it is a multi-generational movie. There’s something for everyone and it’s great to see so many women of different ages going together. I’m glad they used both stories. It adds to the legacy of Julia Child to show what she really meant to someone from a different era.

While everyone raves about the female leads, I’ve got to say, the men of J & J are great.

By: Noticed

Noticed — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:23:57 +0000

Thanks to your urging, I made a point to see this movie on opening night. I organized a group of 8 others to go with me as well! Hearing my mother and several of her friends laughing and mmmming made it all worth it for me.

As a younger woman I identified with the “Julie” character and her struggle to find meaningful, satisfying work. I also appreciated the depiction of both women’s relationships with their husbands. How often do we get to see such genuinely happy couples on screen? I especially liked how supportive both husbands were of their wives’ pursuits. As a writer, my husband identified with much of Julie Powell’s ups and downs about blogging and getting a book deal.

In response to Sally: Rather than viewing Amy Adams’ character as the young lead that the movie is “really about,” I saw it as proof of the lasting impact of Julia Child on women in various situations and at various ages. To me, Amy Adams’ role didn’t take away from Meryl Streep as leading lady, but rather, magnified her importance.

By: sally

sally — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:45:14 +0000

I hope this is a hit too. But I’ve got this comment. No offense to Amy and Ms. Hathaway or even the actress who played Streep’s daughter in Mama Mia But, and here’s a but one: why do we not think that an older woman would be interesting enough without putting in there a younger woman character to really be the “lead” of the movie? It’s like the movie can’t really straight up be about a woman over 45 as the true lead.

In this movie, most reviewers are saying, basically, they wish that they could cut the movie to just be about Julia. I hope the movie is a hit, but I wish there were a movie about just Julia with Streep. I even would’ve liked a movie about the Devil wears Prada — just with the “devil” as the lead and focus. Both movies have younger women ambivalent about ambition characters that seem whimpy and without verve compared to Streep’s character. I know that we were supposed to sympathize with Hathaway instead of the devil boss, but I thought Hathaway’s whiny boyfriend and her ambivalent nature was a drag.

I love Adams and I loved Hathaway in Brokeback Mountain, no offense to them – but can the message be here that how about a movie about a woman with zing that doesn’t have to have that prerequisite younger woman who the story is “really” about?

By: nyc/caribbean ragazza

nyc/caribbean ragazza — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:25:13 +0000

I hope this is a MASSIVE hit.

By: grrljock

grrljock — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:57:37 +0000

Melissa,

You echo what other reviewers have said about the movie: a) it’ll make you hungry, b) Julia parts outshine the Julie ones, and c) the story is also about marital relationship.

I love what you said about Jane Lynch–seems that nobody has anything bad to say about her work. We can’t wait until Glee starts next month so we can see her on a regular basis.

Also, I think the part about Julia’s discovery that she loved and excelled at cooking relatively later in life resonates with me. I grew up not having to, and not having any interest in, cooking, but I’m now getting more and more into it. Not just because I love eating, but I also like the meditative aspect of preparing food (and that’s why I shoo people out of the kitchen when I’m cooking).

I hope this movie is a huge hit, for everyone involved.