Matt’s Flick Pick: ‘The Hundred-foot Journey’

The Hundred-foot Journey

The Hundred-foot Journey

Matthew Merchant

As an Indian family is traveling across Europe in their old car, it breaks down in the mountains of France. They are forced to take shelter for the night with a beautiful young French girl, much to the delight of the oldest son of the family, Hassan. In the morning as they are about to leave, the stubborn father decides to purchase an abandoned restaurant and open up his own, much to the dismay of his family and the cranky old woman across the street. Except, that cranky woman just so happens to be the owner of a Michelin-star restaurant also across the street.

As the two cultures and families collide, the Indian and the French, sultry food pours out of both places. Hassan turns out to be a master chef, the product of his mother’s homemade cooking lessons and a trunk full of authentic Indian spices. And that French woman loves to hate him. Despite her mean exterior, she knows how good he really is.

This film tells multiple stories and demonstrates that two very different cultures can come together over food and over love. From the moment that car breaks down to the moment the spatula flips the omelet, from the time that paprika is sprinkled over the chicken to the time the third Michelin star is awarded, you will find yourself laughing and cheering across the hundred foot distance.

Contact Matthew Merchant at [email protected].