Bradley Cooper plays a swaggering, arrogant chef in this glossy culinary drama
Bradley Cooper plays a swaggering, arrogant chef in this glossy culinary drama. Three years after his reckless behaviour ruined not only his own career but also the top Paris restaurant where he worked, he's in London and determined to earn a third Michelin star. His behaviour is appalling - he shouts, screams, throws plates and almost throttles Sienna Miller's talented sous chef on his new restaurant's opening night. Fortunately, Cooper's flameproof charm keeps us watching, and possibly even rooting for his redemption, though his co-stars have less to get their teeth into. Miller does her best with her underwritten role, as does Daniel Brühl as a doggedly loyal maitre d', a soulful Alicia Vikander makes the most of her two scenes as Adam's former lover, Emma Thompson pops up briefly now and then to offer cliched words of wisdom as a therapist and Uma Thurman's restaurant critic plays a crucial early role in the plot. Still, the cooking scenes sizzle with energy, making for a tasty morsel, even if it doesn’t linger long on the palate.
