This movie turned out to be better than I expected it would be. It comprises two plot ideas borrowed from other stories: one is from an old Twilight Zone episode where a man named Fate steps in to assist a downtrodden man; the second is Like Water from Chocolate, where the very emotions of the cook preparing the food are ingrained as a "secret ingredient" of a heavenly tasting delicacy.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is a mediocre cook, and the restaurant she inherited from her mother is suffering the consequences. One day a mysterious man sells her some crabs, one of which has some amazing properties. The crab causes her to meet an eligible bachelor, but that's only the beginning. Suddenly her cooking is top quality, the restaurant flourishes, and her magical pastries are in demand.
There are some clever bits, but some events are predictable for this kind of story. The guy Gellar likes is already seeing some girl and she's a jerk, while he's a Don Juan guy who needs to grow up. Some other characters start off paper thin, but most of them do grow as the story moves on. It seemed kind of weird how everybody accepted the magical element of the food without any reservation, but overall the the fantasy elements of this movie are served up pretty well.
There are minor flaws in execution, but this is overall a good romantic story, great for a date flick.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is a mediocre cook, and the restaurant she inherited from her mother is suffering the consequences. One day a mysterious man sells her some crabs, one of which has some amazing properties. The crab causes her to meet an eligible bachelor, but that's only the beginning. Suddenly her cooking is top quality, the restaurant flourishes, and her magical pastries are in demand.
There are some clever bits, but some events are predictable for this kind of story. The guy Gellar likes is already seeing some girl and she's a jerk, while he's a Don Juan guy who needs to grow up. Some other characters start off paper thin, but most of them do grow as the story moves on. It seemed kind of weird how everybody accepted the magical element of the food without any reservation, but overall the the fantasy elements of this movie are served up pretty well.
There are minor flaws in execution, but this is overall a good romantic story, great for a date flick.