Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
The Menu is a film that was always on my radar ever since I saw the trailer. The trailer didn't reveal too much (which is what trailers should do) and peaked my interest to know what the story is about. I saw who was in the film and was immediately intrigued. Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicholas Hoult all in one film had me excited to see the final product or should I say final dish. Does The Menu deliver a delicious treat or a sour meal? Let's break it down.
The Menu stars Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, and a cast of wonderful actors and actresses. The film is about a group of rich people heading to a remote island to eat at a fancy restaurant headed by the famous Chef Slowick. Ralph Fiennes plays the head chef in a fantastic performance. Everything starts out normally for the guest, as they receive their food. The guests are a diverse group of people. Some of them are Wall Street bros. One of them is a famous actor. Another guest is a food critic. Another guest is a fanboy of Chef Slowick. But there is one character who is not supposed to be there. That is Anya Taylor Joy's character Margot. She took the place of a different woman Nicholas Hoult's character Tyler was supposed to take. This causes confusion in the kitchen and throws off the menu.
The menu is a special creation by Chef Slowick. It's important to Chef Slowick that everything goes according to plan for the menu. The menu starts out with a normal stuff but as the night goes on, the menu gets wilder. Things start happening that shouldn't happen when you're at a restaurant. Slowick reveals his real intentions where he wants the night to go and it freak all of his customers out. He then explains why he is doing what he is doing. He basically is saying that rich people suck and that he shouldn't have to cook for them anymore. After this is revealed, the film takes a whole new direction.
The Menu is a film you don't expect. It throws you off with how funny it is and how good the story is. The acting is great as well especially from Ralph Fiennes. Fiennes commits to the character of Chef Slowick and brings to life this interesting man. Anya Taylor-Joy is also really good in the film. Nicholas Hoult gives a funny performance as well. He plays the fanboy character and you can't help but laugh at how funny some of his dialogue throughout the film is.
The Menu is also a social commentary on the wealthy. On the surface level, it just seems like a regular film, but once you break it down you can see what the film was trying to say. It's also one of the funniest films of the year. Most of the film I was laughing to what was being said or the situations the characters were in. But it's not too funny where moments in the film aren't taken seriously. It also makes you guess what is going to happen next, which I always admire about a film. I didn't how it was going to end and that's a good thing. Many times in a film I'm watching, I can guess what the ending will be, but in The Menu I was left wondering what can happen next.
The Menu is one of my favorite films of 2022. Everything about the film is just fun. I wish I saw this film in a full theater. I would have loved to see the reactions of other people while watching this film. The Menu is a film that should be seen by a lot of people. If you didn't see the film, now you have the chance to on HBO Max.
Grade: A-
What did you think of The Menu? Leave it in the comments below.