Ratatouille
Ratatouille
Matinee with Snacks
Pixar’s last outing, Cars, reflected their poor relationship with the Walt Disney company. It was careful, a little sterile, merchandise-friendly, and while beautifully rendered, was largely forgettable. Still, you’re not doing too badly when something as sweet and pleasant as Cars is your worst film. Ratatouille is a welcome, delicate return to the Pixar gold standard. Written and directed by Brad Bird, God of Nerds (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Simpsons), Ratatouille is a simple story of a French rat who dreams of being a great chef.
All the best stories come from huge dreams (Astronaut Farmer not withstanding) and unlikely heroes. Ratatouille is delicate and sweet, funny and exciting. I was surprised to read about studio concerns about rats’ “ick” factor (no such concerns with Bug’s Life?). At this point, Bird could make a flesh-eating bacterium lovable, and rats are at least occasionally kept as pets. He is a master of surprising you with genuine sentiment, and by surprise I mean its arrival is not broadcast with score or, “let me tell you something, gentlemen…” dialogue. Speaking of score, Lost’s composer Michael Giacchino masterfully adds to the action and emotion while never overwhelming it. It’s a movie involving cooking that uses all the best subtle tricks of flavor and combination to produce simple pleasure for which you crave more and more.
Remy, our hero (voiced with surprising pathos and style by Patton Oswalt) is a gifted chef, somewhat by accident of his sensitive senses, and by applied opportunistic study. Alfredo Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano) is the hapless human whose ineptitude is Remy’s ticket to his dream. Standing in their way is Chef Skinner (Ian Holm, particularly Gollum-like and delightful) and to a lesser (but hysterical) degree, a severe and powerful food critic called Anton Ego (voiced impeccably by Peter O’Toole). Every word out of Ego’s mouth is crafted as carefully as he demands his meals, and is this funny treasure of a movie. Ego has a monologue about the act of criticism that warmed my heart. He also frames the moment in the movie where you might touch your heart and mist up (or more) as I and many more before me have done.
Battling status quo versus dynamic progress in the rat world, pitting preconceived notions against open hearts and minds, and balancing an unexpected buddy pair, Ratatouille is, as I noted to myself, “wowzers and lovely.” Pixar uses their films to perfect techniques element by element. A Bug’s Life was reflective textures and translucence, Finding Nemo was the weight and depth and density of water. Ratatouille is a symphony of fur. Rat fur in all its coarseness, silkiness, texture, dry, wet, under-dander, whiskers, holy cripes, so amazing! Animation gawkers, start your engines. Unlike major animated releases of late (cough cough *shrek* cough), Ratatouille is all about the story, not the stars or the merchandise. Thank you, Brad Bird!
MPAA Rating G
Release date 6/29/07
Time in minutes 111
Director Brad Bird
Studio Pixar/Disney
