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Forget about grumpy, gassy ogres and cute penguins who hang ten—because this summer belongs to writer/director Brad Bird and his gourmet rat.
Even when he was just a young rat, Remy (Patton Oswalt) was different. While the rest of his family stole whatever garbage they could find to eat, Remy had an extraordinary sense of smell—and a taste for fine food. One night, as he explored an old woman’s kitchen while she watched a cooking show on TV, Remy discovered Chef Gusteau (Brad Garrett), the world’s greatest chef and the owner of Gusteau’s, a famous restaurant in Paris. Inspired by Gusteau’s belief that anyone can cook, Remy dreamed of becoming a chef.
After a kitchen accident leaves him separated from his family, Remy finds himself in Paris, at Gusteau’s—which, after the famous chef’s death, is suffering from bad reviews and even worse leadership, thanks to Chef Skinner (Ian Holm), who’s trying to use Gusteau’s name to market a line of frozen burritos. There, Remy meets Linguini (Lou Romano), a garbage boy who couldn’t cook if his life depended on it. But Linguini discovers that Remy has a gift, and the two realize that, if they work together, they can become a famous chef and restore Gusteau’s to what it once was. But they have to keep it a secret—because if Skinner finds out, Linguini will lose the job he so desperately needs, and Remy will lose his chance to be the chef he’s always dreamed he could be.
Ratatouille is nothing like the other animated movies you’ve seen lately. It doesn’t rely on flash or fart jokes or big celebrity voices. It’s not wacky or outrageous. And it hasn’t marketed itself to every department store and gas station and grocery store and fast food restaurant in the country. Instead, it’s just a really good movie—one with a unique story, a talented cast, and absolutely stunning animation. And that, unfortunately, could be its undoing.
While most kids’ movies these days tend to talk down to their audience, assuming that they can’t handle more than a brainless story and some bad jokes, Ratatouille has a more involved story, with a more grown-up setting (the kitchen of an upscale restaurant in Paris) and more subtle humor. It’s a big risk, really—and, as a result, that means that it might go a little over the heads of the younger kids, or of those expecting the same old jokes. At the screening, I noticed that the adults were far more into it than the kids were—and that the adults laughed harder and more often than the kids did. That may be because it’s so different—and, frankly, that may have confused the kids a bit.
Ratatouille is a smart—and even classy—animated movie. The characters are wonderful, each bursting with his or her own personality—like the chef who once did time for an unknown offense, or Anton Ego (Peter O’Toole), the hyper-critical food critic. And (speaking of Peter O’Toole) the voice talent couldn’t be better—or more perfectly cast.
On top of all that, the animation is spectacular. It’s comfortably cartoonish, but it’s also remarkably detailed—right down to the movement of the rats’ fur…and their shiny rat eyes. It’s cleverly depicted, switching its point-of-view to fit with the characters—whether it’s down at rat level, up a chef level, or soaring above the kitchen to give the audience the big picture. Some of the scenes are so beautifully done, in fact, that you’ll hardly believe they’re animated.
Ratatouille is so good, though, that it might just be too good. It’s so clever and so classic that it might just bore the audience that you’d think it was made for—the kids. For overgrown kids like me, though, it’s brilliant—and I can’t wait to see it again.
DVD Review:
Unlike many recent Disney DVD releases, the Ratatouille DVD doesn’t require a map to navigate—because there aren’t that many special features. In addition to a few deleted scenes (complete with commentary) and Lifted, the fun Pixar short that appeared before Ratatouille in theaters, there are only two other features. One is another short, called Your Friend the Rat, featuring Remy and Emile, discussing the history of rats and why they’re so cool. The retro-style cartoon is strange and sometimes disturbing, but it’s fun nonetheless (though the whole Black Plague part may give the kiddies nightmares). There’s also the more grown-up feature, Fine Food & Film, which features interviews with Ratatouille writer/director Brad Bird and chef Thomas Keller—both of whom discuss their influences, inspiration, dedication, and more.
Though the features are somewhat interesting, they’re not necessarily must-sees (except for Lifted, which is absolutely hilarious). The movie, however, is.
Even if you’re not an animated movie fanatic (which, I’ll admit, I am), you’ll be amazed by the stunning animation, the loveable characters, and (most of all) the unique and even grown-up story. Pick up a copy of the DVD—because it’s one that you won’t be able to watch just once.
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