Reel Rating: 8.0/10 | 3-min read | Rated R

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ‘THE MENU’

Dark, Disturbing and Delicious. Mark Mylod’s ‘The Menu’ is a carefully executed, unwinding thriller that shows what happens when the wealthy 1% gather at the world-renowned Hawthorne restaurant; Expecting the menu of a lifetime only to discover there’s a much bigger plan at play. As each course is produced it gets a little weirder and darker, until things get very dark indeed.

The Menu, starring Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor Joy, is a film about a high-end restaurant called Hawthorne run by a high-end chef, who has his own agenda. This movie was on my list ever since I heard they served the audience cheeseburgers at the TIFF premiere 👀 I mean that’s one way to generate interest for your film.

I really love single-location films, similar to movies like Reservoir Dogs (1992) and 12 Angry Men (1957), The Menu highlights the story and dialogue as the star. The movie truly does feel like a restaurant experience relying on the differences of each course to stimulate thought rather than location.

I found this film to be extremely funny, while paying tribute to the cooking industry, its central theme throws a fair amount of jabs at the mere materialism of it all. I particularly loved when Margot legitimately called out Slowick for insulting his guests through the food, as Nicholas Hoult’s character happily tucks into some “deconstructed bread”. The Menu actually made me question whether or not I want to refer to myself as a “foodie”.

This movie excels in the satirical genre thanks to an entertaining performance by Anya Taylor Joy. Unlike the other guests dining at Hawthorne Margot is an enigma, and she’s supposed to be. She is in every way our vessel as the viewer, as the only one who is not supposed to be there. Through her character, you’re able to insert yourself in the movie - Her reactions are our reactions.

I always love when a tense film can make you feel as though the outcome for your desired character is the outcome of yourself. My only problem with Margot was the mysticism of her character. It’s later revealed that she is an escort. But why did the film take so much time in the introduction and marketing materials to sell Nicholas Hoult and her as a couple, why did they insinuate that she would be offended that he originally had invited someone else if she is just being paid for her services? It’s obviously a big reveal when it does happen, though, like other aspects of this movie, it didn’t really serve a purpose to the perceived story they were trying to tell as much as being a surprise for the audience.

The Menu was absolutely gorgeous though. The sets were designed the same way a Chef would design a dish, in a way that accentuates the hero of the plate. The editing and cinematography were all fantastic. That is one part of the film that can be commended for the entire 2 hours, especially in the food presentation scenes.

Standout Performance: Ralph Fiennes as Chef Slowick

Ralph Fiennes is one of those actors that can be so calm and menacing at the same time. I think what makes him such a great antagonist is his calm nature really keeps you relaxed throughout the film, but when he wants you to feel uneasy or uncomfortable it’s quite obvious. And while I believe Ralph has always had that ability, it’s usually supplemented by some sort of makeup or costume that clearly identifies him as the villain. Although with his captivating, and intimidating performance as Slowick, it’s all Ralph, and that's kinda more frightening to watch.

When we are introduced to Slowick, it’s quite apparent that he has fallen out of love with his craft. Or at least has completely lost the reason why he creates what he perceives as “art” for these ungrateful mouths. It’s unfortunate that the writing doesn’t match the performance of Fiennes as this had the potential of being an Oscar-nominated role. Ralph was the one non-interchangeable cast member in this film, without him, The Menu doesn’t work.

I wish The Menu was a Social statement rather than a Personal statement:

Given the theme, I wish The Menu was a social statement rather than a personal statement. In the end, it really shouldn’t have mattered who the guests were, just what they represented. And I think the movie was trying to do this, especially given that John Leguizamo is only credited as a “Movie Star” and doesn’t actually have a real name. The personal vendetta immediately created complications for building a viable backstory for the guests and Slowick’s motivations, along with the fact that they had all dined there previously, always took me further away from that original idea.

I always felt like a thought-provoking ending to this story would’ve been that it was actually all a game in the end; That this was really all part of the twisted experience these people were paying for. If we know anything from real life, it’s that there are some rich people out there who just like weird sh*t because they have money, and will pay for extreme experiences just in the hopes of "stimulating themselves in ways their physical money can’t.

So I thought especially as we were introduced to Margot as this outsider, combined with her character’s judgemental disbelief, that this was her purpose in the film, that she was there to essentially look everyone in the eye and say “are you f*cking insane???” I definitely felt this was the case when they spent an entire course basically playing a huge game of tag, but The Menu never fully embraced this idea.

That was the impression I had gotten from the trailers, so there’s a chance that the misdirection in the final product was intentional, but I just don’t think it was the right decision. If Mylod had written it in this way, it would still allow Margot to be the outsider and exhibit the development she does, but doing this would also really tie into the satirical nature of the film.

Does Slowick’s plan really make any sense?

I’ve always admired how a chef can curate a menu that tells a story, and the scenes in which Slowick broke down his dishes were some of my favourite moments of the film. Maybe I was just so distracted by Ralph Fiennes presence that I wasn’t completely hearing what Slowick was saying, but his menu of retribution didn’t seem as well thought out as his menu of food. After the film, I constantly found myself asking; why them? This punishment is obviously personal, but Slowick’s judgement of all these people is clearly generalized for what they stand for:

I can safely say that after meeting Slowick’s character, he would definitely have more enemies than the 12 heads in this room. So the explosive ending isn’t really as satisfying as it should be. When you look at the big picture of what this story is supposed to mean; if Slowick dies, it really doesn’t do anything to change the fundamental beliefs of the guests that got them into this situation in the first place. There will still continue to be more Tylers, more Lillians, and more douchey hedge fund pricks. This story doesn’t actually use its ending to change any of that, which is a lost opportunity.

This leads me to a different problem the film experienced; it never felt like the characters who were being punished ever really learned their lesson. While Slowick makes this revealing speech at the end, there was never any moment for recompense. I find it difficult sometimes to be satisfied with stories that are so set in stone from beginning to end.

Maybe it’s because I’m a big believer in second chances, but my interpretation is that characters should’ve left the Hawthorne experience with a revised outlook on life, food, and people. This also would’ve been the cherry on top to showing the audience why Slowick is regarded as one of the best chefs in the world; he's teaching you something about food, while also teaching you something about yourself. Giving purpose to the experience, and a way for outsiders like Margot and the rest of us to make sense of these people who so willingly would pay $1200 for deconstructed bread.

Overall, the Menu is fun, funny and definitely rewatchable, but when you get down to the details the movie feels confused about its overall intentions. It’s an interesting story that doesn’t exactly understand the topic it’s hiding behind. As a chef, every single element that gets on to the plate should serve significance to the overall story you’re trying to communicate through your food. That same respect should be used as a filmmaker, and while the sets of The Menu were flavourful in this regard, ultimately the writing fell short of this.

You can watch The Menu NOW on HBOMAX or Crave. As always, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this film as much as I did! And check out more new movie reviews on our website here