the foot journey 2014

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“The Hundred-Foot Journey” is a film that demands that you take it seriously. With its feel-good themes of multicultural understanding, it is about Something Important. It even comes with the stamp of approval from titanic tastemakers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg , who both serve as producers. What more convincing could you possibly need?

There’s something familiar about the treacly and sanctimonious way this film is being packaged. It reeks of late-‘90s/early ‘00s Miramax fare: films with tasteful yet ubiquitous ad campaigns and unabashed Oscar aspirations which suggested that seeing them (and, more importantly, voting for them) would make you a better person. Films like “The Cider House Rules,” “Chocolat” and “The Shipping News.” Films by Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom.

Hallstrom just happens to be the director here, as well, and the similarities to “Chocolat” are inescapable. Stop me if think you’ve heard this one before: A family moves into a quaint but closed-minded French village and shakes things up with an enticing array of culinary delicacies. This new enterprise happens to sit across the street from a conservative and revered building that’s a town treasure. But the food in question isn’t a bon bon this time—rather, the movie is the bon bon itself.

But despite being handsomely crafted, well acted and even sufficiently enjoyable, “The Hundred-Foot Journey” is also conventional and predictable. And for a film that’s all about opening up your senses and sampling spicy, exotic tastes, this comic drama is entirely too safe and even a little bland.

What livens things up, though, is the interplay between Helen Mirren and Om Puri as battling restaurant owners operating across the street from each other—100 feet away from each other, to be exact, a short but fraught trip that various characters take for various reasons. Watching these veteran actors stoop to sabotage each other provides a consistent source of laughs. She’s all sharp angles, piercing looks and biting quips; he’s all round joviality, boisterous blasts and warmhearted optimism. The contrast between the British Oscar-winner and the Indian acting legend offers the only tension in this otherwise soft and gooey dish—that is, until the film goes all soft and gooey, too.

Mirren stars as Madame Mallory, owner of Le Saule Pleurer (The Weeping Willow), an elegant and expensive French restaurant that’s the winner of a prestigious Michelin star. But one star isn’t enough for the coldly driven Mme. Mallory—she wants another, and then another.

But her bloodless quest for gourmet grandeur is interrupted by the arrival across the street of an Indian family: the Kadams, who’ve been wandering around Europe ever since their beloved restaurant back home burned down during political rioting. When the brakes on their car malfunction on a treacherous stretch of spectacular countryside, Papa (Puri) insists it’s a sign from his late wife and decides to open a new eatery in the charming town at the bottom of the hill.

Never mind that one of the most celebrated restaurants in all of France is sitting right across the street from the empty building he rents. Never mind that they are in an insular part of the country where the residents probably don’t even know what Indian cuisine is, much less like it, as his children point out. He has faith in his food—and in his son, Hassan ( Manish Dayal ), a brilliant, young chef.

Just as Papa and Mme. Mallory strike up a sparky rivalry, Hassan enjoys a flirtatious relationship with French sous chef Marguerite ( Charlotte Le Bon , who played an early model and muse in the recent “Yves Saint Laurent” biopic). The script from Steven Wright (who also wrote the far trickier “ Locke ” from earlier this year, as well as “ Dirty Pretty Things ” and “ Eastern Promises ”) is full of such tidy parallels, as well as trite and overly simplistic proclamations about how food inspires memories. Dayal and Le Bon do look lovely together, though, and share a light, enjoyable chemistry.

Then again, it all looks lovely—both the French and Indian dishes as well as the lush, rolling surroundings, which we see through all four seasons; the work of cinematographer Linus Sandgren , who recently shot “American Hustle.” This sweetly pleasing combination of ingredients would have been perfectly suitable if the film didn’t take a wild and needless detour in the third act. That’s when it becomes an even less interesting movie than it already was, in spite of its loftier aspirations.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)

122 minutes

Helen Mirren as Madam Mallory

Om Puri as Papa

Manish Dayal as Hassan Haji

Charlotte Le Bon as Marguerite

Amit Shah as Mansur

• Lasse Hallström
• Steven Knight
• Richard C. Morais

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The Hundred-Foot Journey

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Rent The Hundred-Foot Journey on Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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Director Lasse Hallström does lovely work and Helen Mirren is always worth watching, but The Hundred-Foot Journey travels predictable ground already covered by countless feel-good dramedies.

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Lasse Hallström

Helen Mirren

Madame Mallory

Manish Dayal

Hassan Kadam

Charlotte Le Bon

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Movie Reviews

Movie review: 'the hundred-foot journey'.

Kenneth Turan

Films that mix food and romance have become a staple of recent movie-making. The Hundred-Foot Journey, starring Helen Mirren , is the latest example.

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The Hundred-Foot Journey

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Helen Mirren

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Manish Dayal

Hassan Kadam

Charlotte Le Bon

Cultures clash in the kitchen in warm family drama.

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Want to behold the glory that is ' The Hundred-Foot Journey ' in the comfort of your own home? Finding a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or watch the Lasse Hallström-directed movie via subscription can be a huge pain, so we here at Moviefone want to do right by you. Below, you'll find a number of top-tier streaming and cable services - including rental, purchase, and subscription alternatives - along with the availability of 'The Hundred-Foot Journey' on each platform when they are available. Now, before we get into the various whats and wheres of how you can watch 'The Hundred-Foot Journey' right now, here are some finer points about the Amblin Entertainment, Harpo Films, Participant, Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ, Reliance Entertainment, Touchstone Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures drama flick. Released August 8th, 2014, 'The Hundred-Foot Journey' stars Helen Mirren , Manish Dayal , Om Puri , Charlotte Le Bon The PG movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 2 min, and received a user score of 73 (out of 100) on TMDb, which compiled reviews from 1,382 experienced users. Want to know what the movie's about? Here's the plot: "A story centered around an Indian family who moves to France and opens a restaurant across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant." 'The Hundred-Foot Journey' is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on Apple iTunes, Microsoft Store, Vudu, AMC on Demand, YouTube, Amazon Video, and Google Play Movies .

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The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014) Film Review – A Beautiful Exploration of Culture, Family and Food

The hundred-foot journey summary.

After the devastating losses of their family restaurant and their matriarch, the Kadam family leave India and head for Europe. They wander in search of a place where they can settle as well as open a new restaurant. Papa Kadam notices a property for sale in the small French village of Saint-Antonin. However, there are many reasons why it is not a good investment. One of which is due to the successful Michelin star rated restaurant only one hundred feet across the road. His family names other reasons to be deterred; no one in the French village will be interested in Indian food, the previous owners were not able to run a restaurant there successfully, among others. But Papa’s conversations with his deceased wife and his confidence in his son Hassan’s skills as a cook override all other concerns.

Hassan is excited to put to use the skills his mother taught him in the kitchen. He has also befriended a local girl named Marguerite. She works for the formidable Madame Mallory in the restaurant across the road. Hassan realizes that in order for his family business to succeed they must all adapt to the culture and the food. Marguerite is helpful to him in this regard. But Madame Mallory does everything she can to make it difficult for their business to succeed. She lodges complaints with the town mayor about minor infractions and purchases up all the ingredients they need before they can get to the market.

When a bigoted man attacks the Kadam restaurant, Hassan is injured, and the war between Papa Kadam and Madame Mallory comes to a head, with a surprising resolution. Suddenly, enemies reluctantly make peace. This changes the course of several lives, not the least of which is Hassan’s.

A DIRECTOR’S HOMAGE

There is a reason The Hundred-Foot Journey is one of my favorite movies. It is sweet, thoughtful, real and warm. It addresses issues like prejudice, nationalism, ambition and love in a realistic way without becoming “preachy” about it. This seems to be a hallmark quality of several films I’ve seen by Swedish director Lasse Hallström.

One of the things I appreciate about Hallström’s films is his ability to show not tell. He addresses divisive topics thoughtfully, allowing the viewer a window into both sides of an argument between flawed but still likable characters. He gives his characters time to think and to grow organically in their beliefs, instead of forcing them to be reactionary. Hallström doesn’t have a long or even commercially succesful list of films to his credit. But what he does have is better, films like Chocolat, Cider House Rules, Hatchi: A Dog’s Tale and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.  These are all unique stories which should pass the test of time more than blockbuster films by other directors.

PERSONAL JOURNEYS

Helen Mirren may be the only actress in The Hundred-Foot Journey whom American audiences may recognize. But she fills her role as the rigid, proud French woman Madame Mallory as if she was born French. Her precise and tight body language and facial expressions show a haughty woman whose only love is her beloved restaurant. But Mirren allows the pain and loneliness of Madame Mallory to seep through the tiny cracks in her facade so that the audience can empathize with her. As she allows herself to open up, she finds her world expanding instead of contracting as she fears.  Her personal growth as a character is perhaps the most profound in the film.

RELATED: Lion (2016) Review: An Emotionally Taxing Yet Vibrant Story of Love and Family

Besides the titled journey between two cultures, is the journey taken by the Kadam family. Om Puri portrays Papa Kadam as a strong, stubborn, but loving father figure for the family. He is determined to honor his late wife in his decisions. The relationship between him and his son Hassan is tenderly portrayed as each of them navigate their old world traditions, within their new country. There is a push and pull between them as Hassan urges Papa to adapt to French culture, but it is always respectful.

Then there is the issue to navigate of Hassan’s dream of being a true chef. Papa knows that his dream and his skill far exceeds their humble family restaurant. He struggles with allowing Hassan to grow beyond what the family can give him.

Both the cultural and Hassan’s personal journey to become a respected chef are further exemplified in his relationship with Madame Mallory’s sous chef, Marguerite. Their relationship begins tentatively as friends, with Marguerite more cautious due to her position with Madame Mallory. Though she shows no prejudice towards Hassan, she struggles with professional jealousy. Their romance grows very slowly, but sweetly. Hassan’s feelings are more evident, while Marguerite’s French reserve keep both the audience and Hassan guessing. Manish Dayal and Charlotte LeBon do a marvelous job with their respective characters. LeBon has such delicate features which bely her inner strength. And I couldn’t help but fall a little in love with Dayal’s Hassan, who is thoughtful, caring, forgiving and a bit of dreamer who knows how to work towards his goal.

The Hundred-Foot Journey is a beautiful film of family, love and cultural differences and acceptance, with its’ messages enhanced by the gorgeous cinematography. As it focuses on feeding the bellies of its’ characters, it surreptitiously feeds the soul of the viewer. If you have ever dreamed of an idyllic life in a little French village, then this is the film for you. From sunny days fishing and picking mushrooms, to bike riding around the village, to children playing in the square, it hits the mark on what many American envision about the French lifestyle. Between the beauty of the story and that of the setting, it really brings to mind that poetic line of John Keats, “a thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

Where to Watch: The DVD is available for purchase at a very reasonable price. Or you can rent/buy from the streaming sites, GooglePlay and iTunes.

Content Note: This film has a PG rating and is safe for the whole family.

Photo Credit: DreamWorks Pictures

OVERALL RATING

“The stuff that dreams are made of.”

ROMANCE RATING

“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My

feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me

to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

ARE YOU A ROMANCE FAN? FOLLOW THE SILVER PETTICOAT REVIEW:

Brittaney has had her head in the clouds ever since she first fell in love with books and film as a young child. She's a firm believer in the power of story to transport us to new places while also transforming our hearts. She tends to favor historical fiction and classic films since they also allow her to feel like a time traveler. Brittaney is a native resident of Texas and has been honing her own ability to write and tell stories for many years now. You can find more of her wordsmith skills at her website www.storyenthusiast.com.

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2 thoughts on “The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014) Film Review – A Beautiful Exploration of Culture, Family and Food”

I really enjoyed this movie.

Isn’t it good? It just kind of leaves you with a warm glow and appreciation for life.

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• Kinorium 7.4 2153
• IMDb 7.3 87 665
• Critics 69% 147

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Critique: 38

This feel-good tale about an Indian family setting up a restaurant across the road from one with a Michelin star celebrates things all culture...

Colorful locales and exotic spices can’t hide its essential blandness.

The film is rife with tired food metaphors and plot twists so predictable you see them coming like travelers on the poplar-lined street that leads...

Linus Sandgren’s camera caresses the cuisine like an ecstatic lover. It brought out the foodie in me.

For a film that champions the transcendent power of spice, The Hundred-Foot Journey is awfully bland.

When it comes to character development, Manish Dayal, as Hassan, and Le Bon are sold short, landed with thankless, undeveloped roles.

A mouth-watering and charming – if overlong – romantic comedy-drama about an immigrant family opening an Indian restaurant in a most...

Puri is great fun as the indomitable head of the family, and Mirren convinces as the grand dame, despite dishing out her lines in an accent that st...

It’s a rare delight to watch Puri and Mirren play off each other.

Cliche piles on cliche, but it’s good-natured, undemanding fun.

A picturesque, well-acted comedy about the culinary education of a young Indian cook who emigrates to the south of France, The Hundred-Foot Jo...

It delivers the kind of sentimental sledgehammering I found myself willing to forgive, but once the story goes off on a pointless tangent...

It contrasts the heat and intensity of Indian cooking with the elegance and refinement of French haute cuisine, then balances the two with a f...

…The Hundred-Foot Journey, which goes down like ice cream during two-thirds of its running time, starts feeling overstuffed toward its final act…

There is a good-bad film lurking within this grey-pound comedy from arch-sentimentalist Lasse Hallström.

It must be said that it goes down rather well, although full enjoyment requires that all cynicism be left simmering on the back burner.

Young love! Old recipes! With cardamoms on top! Sounds like a Lasse Hallström movie.

The Hundred-Foot Journey is vintage Hallstrom – genial and meditative, focusing more on characters and emotions than an overcooked plot. The s...

The characters here exist for the plot, and the plot exists for swooning sensuality, adorable romance, and warm feelings about our shared humanity.

By the time «The Hundred-Foot Journey» ends, it has achieved an unexpected and rather powerful cumulative impact. I felt like I knew the peopl...

If The Hundred-Foot Journey ultimately proves no spicier than chicken tikka masala for the soul, that’s Chef Lasse for you. At his comforting...

It’s the movie version of comfort food. Except even in comfort food there’s a difference between something made from scratch, and...

The chef characters would know better than to serve anything so sugary.

It would be curmudgeonly to count all the ways in which The Hundred-Foot Journey is unsurprising, unrealistic, unnecessary.

«The Hundred-Foot Journey» manages to be a full meal, using all the ingredients at its disposal.

The Hundred-Foot Journey is a culinary culture-clash comedy enlivened by fiery performances from Helen Mirren and Om Puri but which, like so m...

A moving piece of food porn, The Hundred-Foot Journey is a familiar tale enlivened by some sensitive, sincere touches.

Hallström, who also directed Chocolat, follows the foodie-cinema aesthetic by filming the dishes in a gleaming sumptuousness designed to make...

Overall, it’s tough to grumble about such a sturdy and crowd-pleasing soufflé.

Awards material it’s not, but the movie knows its intentions and audience, and cooks everything up into a satisfying meal.

Apart from the scenic location of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val and the equally enthralling shots of Indian and French cuisine, what remains is a pl...

I’ll spare you my usual rant about the decadence of foodies, but it should be obvious by now that, despite their discerning tastes, the movie...

The folk-wisdom level is tolerable, just as the clichés and manipulations are palatable, because the story is full of life, and free of ironic addi...

There’s comfort food and there are comfort movies. In Lasse Hallstrom’s «The Hundred-Foot Journey," you get a full helping of both...

«The Hundred-Foot Journey» is likely neither to pique your appetite nor to sate it, leaving you in a dyspeptic limbo, stuffed with false senti...

Despite being handsomely crafted, well acted and even sufficiently enjoyable, «The Hundred-Foot Journey» is also conventional and predictable.

At its core, The Hundred-Foot Journey is a movie about good food, and one man’s passion for cooking.

If there is room for romantic fantasy in your life, this cinematic equivalent of comfort food goes down easy enough, and it’s hard to begrudg...

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An Indian adventure in a romantic French village, and even with an emphasis on gastronomic preferences… Sounds great! Looks the same until the final 20 minutes. Someone who is against France and India could so mediocrely leak the original story… Lasse, for what? Translated to English

A fast-paced, interesting beginning, an average middle, and a so-so ending. Perhaps you should watch it in the mood with a glass of wine and some stories about France. Translated to English

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The 10 Top Food Movies of All Time

Posted: April 12, 2024 | Last updated: April 12, 2024

Are you hungry?

There is something so soothing and at times so painful about watching other people eat beautiful big-screen-sized delicacies. And you absolutely don't need to know the difference between a sauce, a reduction, and a coulis to drool over food on the screen. But in case you do, that's just one more reason to see these movies that celebrate food and cooking.

A word of advice: Do not, under any circumstances, watch any of these movies on an empty stomach.

1. 'The Hundred-Foot Journey' (2014)

This heartwarming film tells the tale of an Indian family that opens a restaurant just across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant in a small village. The clash between cultures and cuisines leads to a culinary rivalry, with both restaurants offering tantalizing dishes. The entire film is a visual feast with each delectable dish beautifully showcased on screen. But what will push you over the edge to go ahead and crack some eggs after watching this culinary symphony is a step-by-step shot of Helen Mirren cooking a classic French omelet.

2. 'Babette's Feast' (1987)

Gabriel Axel's "Babette's Feast" is a unique gem, deserving of its status as the first Danish film to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language. The 1987 film tells the story of Babette a French refugee named Babette who —you guessed it— prepares a massive feast. The sumptuous banquet features dishes like Potage à la Tortue, Blinis Demidoff, and Cailles en Sarcophage, proving the movie's main argument that food can be a work of art, and we second that.

3. 'Ratatouille' (2007)

Only Pixar can pull out a film about a sewer rat working in a kitchen and still make your stomach growl. The 2007 animated film follows a Parisian rat named Remy out of the sewer and into a kitchen he doesn't belong in, Cyrano de Bergerac-ing his way into accomplishing his big chef dreams. Remy's cuteness, the abundance of fancy culinary terms, and animated food shots that still looks delicious will almost make you forget that you are watching a movie about a rat in a professional kitchen.

4. 'Julie & Julia' (2009)

In a very Nora Ephron fashion, the 2009 film is painfully charming, entertaining, and seriously hunger-inducing. Based on two memoirs — Julie Powell’s “Julie & Julia” and Julia Child’s “My Life in France” the movie unites two women across time and space through their shared passion for cooking and food. With 1940s Paris as a backdrop for Julia's trailblazing culinary career and the energy of post-9/11 New York propelling Julie's quest, "Julie & Julia" is a mouthwatering cinematic feast that celebrates the enduring legacy of Julia Child, the art of cooking, and the remarkable connections that transcend time. If one thing can outshine Meryl Streep on screen, it's a series of delightful shots featuring food that looks so good you can almost smell the delicious boeuf bourguignon.

5. 'Chef' (2014)

This movie should not be seen on an empty stomach, and that is a fact. The 2014 film "Chef," directed by Jon Favreau, follows the journey of renowned chef Carl Casper (played by Favreau himself) who starts serving his food from a truck and rediscovers the joy of street food. From sizzling grilled cheese sandwiches oozing with melted cheese to perfectly seared steaks glistening with savory juices, each shot will make you want to reach through the screen and grab that Cuban sandwich from Favreau's hands.

6. 'Chocolat' (2000)

Set in a quaint French village, this charmingly light-hearted fable tells the story of Vianne Rocher, a nomadic master chocolatier who opens a chocolate shop that challenges the prudish town's strict traditions during Lent.  If you have a sweet tooth be warned: this eye-candy of a film showcases sumptuous chocolate creations, including a sensuous hot chocolate drink so watch at your own risk.

7. 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' (2011)

This mesmerizing documentary delves into the life and artistry of Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old sushi master, and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a tiny Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo. Through stunning visuals and insightful interviews, the film celebrates the dedication and precision that goes into creating the perfect piece of sushi, showcasing Jiro's skillful craftsmanship and the mouthwatering sushi he serves. Our five cents:  make sure your order good sushi while you watch.

8. 'Big Night' (1996)

Set in the 1950s on the Jersey shore, Stanley Tucci's directorial debut follows two Italian brothers as they navigate the challenges of running their restaurant.  In a last-ditch effort to save the business, they organize a lavish banquet showcasing their culinary skills featuring the showstopping centerpiece dish, "timpano."  The film's attention to detail and mouthwatering visuals make it a treat for foodies.

9. 'The Menu' (2022)

Ralph Fiennes is a sinister chef with a deviously designed menu in the 2022 darkly comic foodie thriller that will both terrify you and make you crave a cheeseburger. A satirical look at fine dining restaurants, the 2022 film features beautiful shots of scrumptious dishes that look well.. expensive, and Anya Taylor-Joy's eating a cheeseburger that looks just amazing.

10. 'Eat, Pray, Love ' (2010)

Based on Elizabeth Gilbert's bestselling memoir, the 2010 film follows Julia Roberts as she embarks on a quest of self-discovery and gastronomic delight. From the bustling streets of Italy to the serene landscapes of India and the vibrant markets of Bali, each destination becomes a culinary playground. With sumptuous shots of mountains of pasta, gelato, and exotic delicacies, the film will give you the urge to order a pizza and tikka masala at the same time. Do it!

This article was produced and syndicated by MediaFeed.

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