It wasn’t too long ago that I wrote that I had watched a string of good movies at the theater. You know, those movies that you feel like you didn’t waste your time and money when you decided to go the theater. As Joy and I were driving up to the local Marquee Cinema, we were talking about how there are only a handful of movies that are really near and dear to my heart. I was quite surprised when I saw Julie & Julia to find that the handful might well have expanded by one.
Now, I’ll admit to being biased toward Amy Adams. But, let us be honest. Sharing the screen with Meryl Streep is not a career choice to be taken lightly. Streep is one of the best actors of either (or any?) gender in history. Her portrayal of Julia Child will do nothing to diminish her stature. The vigor, the heart, the humor, the courage, the amor-osity (its my blog and I’ll make up words if I want to) of Julia Child are all quickened by the deft competence of this peerless actor.
How fortunate then that Amy’s charisma does not shrink but stands equally with Meryl’s on the screen. As the story shifts from one era and one scenario to the other one does not find oneself lamenting the shift. Each of the parallel story lines is so engaging that the viewer leans into the switch with piqued curiosity and positive expectation.
