Rip, mix and burn
Over the weekend I sat through the second lame remake in a row of the same movie, preceded by the cheesiest rom-com trailers this side of Bollywood. Not even the lovely visage of Catherine Zeta-Jones could save No Reservations, which like Cheeni Kum is a remake of Bella Martha (Mostly Martha). In one signature scene, Zeta-Jones’ chef goes nuclear on a customer who rejected her dish. Amitabh Bachchan’s epic freak-out over Hyderabadi zafrani pulao had the grace not to take itself seriously. I need sexy, ma!
Unlike Cheeni Kum, the movie plays it straight with the idea that a woman of Zeta-Jones’ looks has trouble getting a date. It has the deathly self-seriousness of an afternoon Lifetime telenovela. It doesn’t even cross Zeta-Jones’ mind that Neil LaBute favorite Aaron Eckhart, a high-end sous-chef with expensively highlighted hair and a taste for opera, might be batting for more than one team. Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of Mrs. Cruise) and Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) are slumming here. Bachchan was more fun as a ludicrous ham.
Where are the successors to Harry, Sally, Annie and Buttercup? In fairness, if you saw the fondue spread of a trailer you knew exactly what you were in for. My personal hell involves being duped into watching this movie again. Next time they’ll claim it’s cutting-edge Croatian cinema.
In Lady in the Water, Bob Balaban (playing a shrink here) gets his head ripped off by a snarf. If only one could summon guillotine creatures for the writers of remakes.
on Tuesday, July 31st, 2007, 7:33 am in Film › 
Email this
› 
Facebook this
› 
Reddit this
› Link
› Reader links
Just from the trailer, it’s obvious that this is a very different movie from the original. And if I remember correctly, the romance bit was a side story to the aunt-niece issue in Mostly Martha, whereas here, it seems to be marketed (and probably is) a rom-com. Neil LaBute is the director?
This was marketed as a rom-com but it’s really a dull drama. LaBute uses Eckhart a lot but the director of this one is Scott Hicks.
Too bad Manish your reviews are coming a lil late . I just saw this movie this weekend and boring robin williams movie license to wed last week even before u even posted the review….we both seem to see same movies hoping for something good, but both movies arent good at all..
I thought Catherine zeta jones looked old with not much emotion or acting..I loved Abegail breslin who did a great job..I loved her in little miss sunshine too..I kept thinking Catherine Zeta Jones would hug the girl at so many places, she looked too cold even at the end when she felt connection with her niece there were no great hugs or emotion. even if her character was serious she should have been more warm at the end….I could see myself in catherine’s serious workholic no nonsense perfectionist character scared of trusting men in the beginning of the movie when catherine zeta zones is in the restaurant kitchen but later realised that is not me as the movie progressed..I felt like hugging that crying little girl who is dealing with her mothers loss…
you are right the movie was just another chik flick..not in the harry met sally or u got mail or those classy romance movies league.. the last sweet romantic movie I saw was “holiday” with cameron diaz and kate winslet..
I liked kate hudson in “Raising helen” which has similar story line better..I also like hindi movie “hum hi rahi pyar ke” where aamir khan plays the dad to his nephews and nieces..it is a cute movie..
Just saw Cheeni Kum last weekend. Haven’t seen No Reservations… most probably I won’t have to since I already saw the commercial trailer. Enough said. (to be honest, the most I took away from CK was the recipe for Hyderabadi zafrani pulao)
he he.
-P
I have no wish to see a sappy romcom but I have one positive comment about ‘no reservations’. At least the male lead looks like a normal guy’s guy. He has a jaw, does not look pretty from any angle, manages to keep a shirt on throughout the trailer, looks comfortable with stubble, can cook and is hetero. On a personal level I can relate to that. :-) There’s still a little space in the popular culture for moi and that is reassuring.
hum khush huay! - claps - Bring out the dancing wenches.
I thought the main premise of the movie Cheeni Kum was that a 30 something lady falls in love a 60 something Chef, and the lady’s Dad is younger than her suitor. The Chef’s character seems to be the only common factor between Mostly Martha and Cheeni Kum-and i guess the temprament of these two characters is quite different as well. Is there any other similarity, or does Cheeni Kum become a rip-off because its got a Chef. Just curious.
The perfectionist chef with a troubled love life, the redemptive little girl with deep-seated issues, and key scenes are shared between Cheeni Kum and No Reservations. The latter credited its source, the former did not. No surprise.