NO RESERVATIONS

By: debbie lynn elias

One thing I learned as a small child sticking my hands in my beloved German grandmother’s pots and pans sampling “uncooked nibbles” or sneaking unknown candies from the dish by her front door or pretty petit fours from the fridge, is just because something looks good, doesn’t mean it tastes good, and even if palatable, the after taste can sometimes be less than pleasant. Such is the case with NO RESERVATIONS; although it looks good on the outside and is somewhat palatable, the ingredients never quite reach a boiling point and the end result is undercooked, lacking spice and rather bland.

Originally set in the historically fashionable town of Hamburg, Germany, but for a few American updates and hip New York modernization, NO RESERVATIONS, is a virtual clone of Sandra Nettelbeck’s “Mostly Martha”, complete with the good, the bad and in this case, the not very tasty.   Kate Armstrong is a top notch chef in one of Greenwich Village’s trendiest restaurants. A selfish, egocentric perfectionist in ever way, she rules the kitchen – and her life – with an iron hand. An obsessive workaholic, thanks to a self-imposed set of stringent rules that she is unwilling to break, she has no room in her life for a life. No relationship. No family. Only work. And of course a therapist. But Kate’s orderly life gets turned upside down when Fate steps in and hands Kate her 9 year old niece, Zoe, to raise following the sudden death of Zoe’s mother in an auto accident. And as we all know, Fate can be extremely cruel when it wants to be and where Kate is concerned, looks like Fate is more than a little ticked off at her. Saddled with the emotional trauma she is unable and unwilling to express over the death of her sister, plus the responsibility of a child to raise, Kate’s orderly world is crumbling before her. But crumbs are nothing compared to the full on souffle-like collapse when Kate’s boss Paula hires a new sous-chef without telling Kate.   Nick is the complete antithesis of Kate. Energetic, happy-go-lucky, gregarious, exuberant, fun. A joy to watch. A joy to embrace. A man not afraid to show his true feelings both in his Italian style cooking but with his love of Italian opera. A man who can laugh. A man whose very existence annoys the hell out of Kate…especially when in “her” kitchen and particularly when Kate must take leave of her domain to care for Zoe.

And there’s Zoe. A precocious adorable child wiser than her years, but for refusing to eat, Zoe hides her suffering almost as well as Kate, knowing full well that Kate is ill-equipped to handle anything that is out of “the norm.” Self-sufficient and capable, Zoe has the gift of insight and partly in an effort to make her life whole again as well as giving her aunt what she believes Kate needs, Zoe sets out to play matchmaker between Nick and Kate, learning first hand that oil and water just don’t mix.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, herself always so reserved in her work, but for her exuberant Oscar winning turn in “Chicago“, tackles the role of Kate. With a reserved character and an actress known for being very proper and reserved in her performances, one would think Kate is the ideal role for Zeta-Jones. It isn’t. Very methodical and plasticine, she gives new meaning to the term “cold fish.” There is no spark and definitely no chemistry between herself and Aaron Eckhart’s, Nick which is disappointing because
One thing I learned as a small child sticking my hands in my beloved German grandmother’s pots and pans sampling “uncooked nibbles” or sneaking unknown candies from the dish by her front door or pretty petit fours from the fridge, is just because something looks good, doesn’t mean it tastes good, and even if palatable, the after taste can sometimes be less than pleasant. Such is the case with NO RESERVATIONS; although it looks good on the outside and is somewhat palatable, the ingredients never quite reach a boiling point and the end result is undercooked, lacking spice and rather bland.

And Abigail Breslin. What can I say about Abby? As delightful as she was in “Little Miss Sunshine” she is moreso here. More nuanced in her facial expressions and tonal inflections as reflective of her advancing skills, she is a master of emotional manipulation and adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the film. Even more impressive is the fact that Abby takes an integral character with a sub-standardly written storyline and turns it into spun gold. Particularly effective are the scenes involving Eckhart and Abby. These two are endearing together.

Written by newcomer Carol Fuchs based on Sandra Nettelbeck’s original screenplay for “mostly Martha”, the overall result is less than appealing. I have seen “Mostly Martha” and while it is nothing extraordinary, it is enjoyable and entertaining. Not so with NO RESERVATIONS which seems as if two separate films, one dark, the other light, with nothing meeting in the middle or binding the themes together creating tonal imbalance that is never corrected. While the story remains intact, the dialogue is less then believable and much seems to be throwaway like brown edged lettuce.

Directed by Ugandan-born director Scott Hicks, best known for his exemplary work with “Shine”, here there is no evidence of Hicks’ already proven talent. Instead, we are left with a film that has no voice, no signature, is very robotic, preconceived and predictable, giving to the banal. Hicks’ brightest moment was hiring cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh. With a widescreen cinemascope effect, Dryburgh plays with the lensing creating very effective visuals that do more for the story than other aspect of the film. From a strictly visual standpoint, Dryburgh’s talents are reason enough to see the film.

Thanks to a lacking any real meat or flavor, no reservations will be necessary at the theatre if you want a taste of NO RESERVATIONS.

Kate – Catherine Zeta-Jones

Nick – Aaron Eckhart

Zoe – Abigail Breslin

Directed by Scott Hicks. Written by Carol Fuchs based on the screenplay “Mostly Martha” by Sandra Nettelbeck. Rated PG.