What a wonderful film. 42 Grams deviates from the typical "food doc" - yes, you see gorgeous, inventive and delicious dishes and the processes behind their creation, but you also get up close and personal, in an intimate way, with Chef Jake and Alexa. For anyone who loves fine dining, and for anyone who has ever had a dream they followed; anyone who has been an underdog or rooted for one, for anyone who has worked side-by-side with a loved one, or who is intrigued by what happens behind the scenes of one of the finest restaurants in Chicago's culinary history, 42 Grams is one to watch. As an added bonus: it's a beautifully shot and edited film, with perfect original music - soundtrack please!
14 Reviews
Amazing Story!
wanderingcameras-862516 November 2017
I saw this at a film festival, it's an incredible story about determination, creativity, and food. The film takes us from the very start of a somewhat crazy idea, all the way through to a start up chef winning the coveted Michelin star.
Definitely a documentary worth seeing.
Definitely a documentary worth seeing.
This documentary follows a chef and his wife as they make a name for their fine dining restaurant, 42 Grams.
kmwehby14 November 2017
This is a documentary definitely worth watching. I was so pleasantly surprised by all the humor in it!! The people on screen are so compelling to watch, and the food looks so good! Make sure you have plenty of snacks on hand while watching. You're going to want them. It can be tough picking docs to watch, but this is one definitely worth the investment.
Hard to watch
itsmekatelitchford4 February 2018
This looks to be an attempt to recreate the excitement and amazement you might feel watching shows like Chef's Table and A Chef's Life. Unfortunately the featured chef, Jake Bickelhaupt, could not be more pretentious and obnoxious; this ultimately, unfortunately, ens up being the topic of the film.
Amazing.
badams-7485620 November 2017
This is an amazing documentary that can stand confidently next to Jiro Dreams of Sushi and other greats. 80 minutes of pure movie magic. The best part of any story, as with life, is the relationships. In this story we meet a husband and wife. They work together to achieve something great. I found myself relating with them on a deep personal level. It takes an enormous amount of courage to be this honest as a filmmaker and a person. Well done.
The price of greatness: an unlikely underdog story
katherine-obrien13 November 2017
Must-see for foodies, food lovers and friends -- this cinematic gem is also a film for those that love a great underdog story. And Jake's an unlikely underdog - a culinary rockstar, a creative genius, defying conventions in his underground restaurant... when he and his wife Alexa take the leap of a lifetime to launch their restaurant, 42 GRAMS. Fascinating, fun to watch, and also heartbreaking. Moved me to tears. A compelling glimpse at the creative process of a brilliant chef and artist, at life behind one of the best restaurants in the world, and what it takes to sustain that -- told honestly and without pretension. Gorgeous cinematography brings the food off the plate and accessible to the audience in a way that no other doc - film or TV - has managed before.
Grate Review
jparentgisco17 August 2022
I was tempted to award 2 stars but that's a different scale. I don't generally watch or enjoy documentaries but this was outstanding. My review was too short so I had to add some meaningless drivel so I had the required one hundred fifty words in my review which is harder than I first thought it would be but here I am.
If you love food...
llagera3 January 2018
Such an amazing behind the scenes look of the creation of one of the best restaurants in the United States. The portrayal of both the Chef and his ex-wife is even handed and manages to show the cracks in the relationship while still maintaining focus on the idea of 42 grams. While the type of food created at this unique concept was always front and center, the story on what it takes to create that kind of disciplined and uncompromising food is what will suck you in. The scenes (both before and after they received Two Michelin Stars) where they talked about what they had to sacrifice in order to achieve something like 42 grams are the most engrossing and heartbreaking. If you love food and the industry then you will love this movie.
Don´t believe the hype.
psbzu7 February 2018
I honestly don´t understand all those 10/10 reviews on such a personal and unbalanced tale of profissional success.
It´s a well directed and produced business presentation and i´ve never felt any love for food and cooking or any care for the costumers. Just plenty of ego even more technique and cooking skills with a dash of bipolar behavior.
I end up giving such a low rating because i predicted the end of the documentary as soon as he mentioned the "2 stars on the first year" thing and because i found Chef Jake a very sad and nasty person that tramples over everybody else while chasing his dreams.
Not good but interesting anyway.
I end up giving such a low rating because i predicted the end of the documentary as soon as he mentioned the "2 stars on the first year" thing and because i found Chef Jake a very sad and nasty person that tramples over everybody else while chasing his dreams.
Not good but interesting anyway.
In a time when celebrity chef's are front and center, 42 Grams digs deep into the real world
machten1 December 2017
In a time when celebrity chef's are front and center, 42 Grams digs deep into the real world struggle of one of many chef's that take the true risk and follow what is in their heart. True, real life storytelling shines in Jack C. Newell's intimate take in this highly engaging, well thought-out documentary. Timing is everything and from the moment the title hits the screen until the credits roll, every bit of the story is laid out perfectly, even with a somewhat surprise ending. The music score is also something that stands out and is craftily used, not only in the background, but to emphasize with well timed edits throughout the film. If you have ANY interest in foodie culture (or are a fan of Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential"), don't hesitate; watch!
Outstanding!
dsmartin-334251 December 2017
This film grabs you and sucks you in. I was impressed with the videography and the honesty of the film. I found myself wanting them to succeed because of all their hard work. I laughed and cried with them. It's great to see how the customers were enjoying themselves as well. Very well done, Jack!
Terrific Film!
info-18-9701063 December 2017
I loved this film. Although I am not a foodie and don't really watch the food networks, I very much enjoyed watching this movie. It's a truly human story of a culinary genius who runs an illegal underground fine-dining restaurant (which is something I had never even heard of). The film follows the chef and his wife as they work and struggle to open a legitimate restaurant. It's raw and real documentary and definitely well worth seeing.
Abusive Chef Who Attacked Wife
ffsjvhrfr28 March 2022
This documentary was beyond cringe worthy. Jake is allegedly in his 30s yet acts like an arrogant and tremendously awkward teenager. Incredibly immature. Shockingly immature. And proceeds to berate his sous chef who's legit old enough to be his father. It was awful to watch. What's worse are the credits that merely stated Alexa his wife divorced Jack shortly after this aired. Ohhhh and the slide in the restaurant close. Ohhhhh no. That is simply not the case. The man chased her out of the restaurant. Into the alley. As a customer watched in horror while he legit hit her over the head with a freaking wine bottle. Alexa needed staples in her head!!! Do NOT indulge this abusive brat. It doesn't matter how good his weird looking food may be. He's a wife beater. And justifying his actions cus Charlie Trotter was mean to him is a cowards excuse b.
Not just for foodies!
landiswiedner3 February 2018
Sometimes I forgot this movie was a documentary because it's a story, not an FAQ about a topic. We see the complexity in people--the vulnerability, the beauty, the dark--just as fictional writers try to create...but this is real. It's real life. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the film, as I'm not foodie, I barely know how to cook, and I couldn't be less interested in a cooking show. So I was surprised when I was drawn into the art of creating food because I didn't know that it's an art. And as a writer, I could relate to much of what the chef was saying about creating food because, for me, it's very similar to how I write. As I'm sure it's similar to artists of many mediums who'd feel the same way watching this film. This film has so many layers-I highly recommend it! (If you hadn't figured that out yet....)
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