Movie review: Tasting Menu

A scene from Tasting Menu.

Who knew that one of the several Japanese words for penis is "chin chin"? That piece of useless trivia informs one of the few moments of genuine humour in this film, which never surmounts its central contrivance: a dozen people at a world famous restaurant on the Catalan coast that is about to serve its final meal.

The reference to Ferran Adria's El Bulli is obvious. The intention, presumably, is to attract foodies and romantics in equal numbers, but both groups will leave feeling undernourished.

The film follows the formula laid down by the excellent Big Night in 1996 and Dinner Rush in 2000, among others: on a busy night in a restaurant, half a dozen small interpersonal dramas unfold. The problems here are that there is zero kitchen atmosphere (we get to salivate only glancingly over the food) and that the dramas are not very ... dramatic.

A running gag has the co-owner obsessing about whether the Irishman dining alone (Rea) is a restaurant critic or not - though why the management would give a toss about critics on its last night is never explained - but when the mystery is explained, it is a moment without meaning.

The night's guests include a bereaved countess (Flanagan), with her husband in an urn; a timid paediatrician (Cornet) dining with his ex, a gorgeous bestselling writer (Bassols) because they made the booking when they were together; and the Japanese businessmen (Igawa and Serikawa), considering buying the place. Add the writer's crass American editor and would-be lover (Gibbs), who turns up unannounced, mis-overheard conversations and notes passed to unintended recipients and you have the ingredients of an amusing farce. But the film takes itself too seriously.

When the script, plainly running out of puff, sends half the blokes on a sea rescue, it really gets too silly for words.

Stars: 2/5
Cast: Jan Cornet, Claudia Bassols, Stephen Rea, Fionnula Flanagan, Timothy Gibbs, Marta Torne, Togo Igawa, Akihiko Serikawa
Director: Roger Gual
Running time: 87 mins
Rating: M. In English, Catalan and Spanish with English subtitles
Verdict: Undercooked rom-com set in a restaurant

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- TimeOut