No Reservations (2007)
Directed by Scott Hicks

Film Review

Though it's not the greatest film in the world, it never pretends to be that. It's a romantic comedy you may have seen thousands of times before and the style can be quite pedestrian.  In spite of these minor imperfections, No Reservations still has plenty to offer in its genre and it exceeds at many levels where the average romantic comedy has failed over the years.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is as beautiful as she's never been before. If you are an opera guru there is some elegant Verdi and Puccini played in the background for your listening pleasures and Abigail Breslin is once again stealing our hearts as she did in Little Miss Sunshine.  Even if you're not a fan of Aaron Eckhart, you have to like the way he delivers happiness and compassion to the otherwise tacit Zeta-Jones.
    
Many critics have compared this film to the 2001 remake of the German film Mostly Martha, liking the original better, but I thought No Reservations stands on its own here.   If I am to criticize one thing here it is that I thought Zeta-Jones was too beautiful-looking to play an anti-social work-obsessed chef. But I won't lose sleep over that.

If you are trying to find a summer movie with no mindless action in it, then I recommend No Reservations.  Though lacking in anything original, it's still one not to miss out.  One note of precaution, after the credits roll, don't be surprised if you get hungry... Rating: 4 stars.

Film Synopsis

Kate Armstrong has no husband, no children, no family ties - and this suits her find, at the present.  The love of her life is the trendy Manhattan restaurant which she runs single-handedly, with an iron fist and an almost obsessive perfectionism.  Kate's remarkably well-ordered life is suddenly thrown into confusion when she learns that her sister Christine has been killed in a car accident, leaving her to take charge of her nine-year-old daughter.  Burdened with this new unwished-for responsibility, Kate has no choice but to take on a sous-chef, Nick Palmer.  Although Kate and Nick appear to be exact opposites and have practically nothing in common they soon find themselves drawn to one another.  Their budding romance quickly turns sour when Kate's interfering boss Paula offers Nick a promotion - to head chef...