The Redemptive Chef
This is less of a blog post and more of a movie review I suppose. (I hope you enjoy my thoughts!). I was a little taken aback by some of the scenes in the movie Chef, but once I was able to get over myself I thought, “Man this is a redemptive movie.” Here’s a man who, at the beginning of the story, is really unhappy. He’s divorced, on his own, his relationship with his son is in shambles, he hates his job, and he never feels like he can cook what he wants. He’s in a cooking straightjacket.
After a well-known food critic ventures to his restaurant, Carl is eager to hear this man’s approval of his cooking. Rather, Carl finds himself humiliated and this man’s condescending review goes viral. His sue-chef (Martin) and other chefs start saying “F*** Twitter.” This leads Carl to getting a Twitter account. He then accidentally sends the food critic who calls him needy and cloying a personal tweet. Unbeknownst to him, Carl ends up sending a very public tweet to this food critic. His tweet goes viral and he ends up with 20,000 followers.
The food critic and Carl get into a tweeting fight, and the critic again ends up at the restaurant where Carl (used) to work. The food critic is served the exact same menu as he was the first time, and Carl ends up at the restaurant unannounced and with guns blazing. He curses the food critic out and with fire in his eyes, expresses how hurt he is to this man. It highlights how fragile we can truly be. How sensitive people are. Carl was an artist and this critic publicly shamed his art. Carl was furious. Again, this rant was recorded and went viral.
After months of unemployment and depression, Carl finds himself in Miami with his ex-wife and his son. After a series of events, Carl ends up with an old rusty food truck. With little money, his son, and (eventually) his friend Martin, the three of them venture across the US spending the summer with this Hispanic food truck. They’re incredibly successful and Carl’s son is their marketing mojo. He records the summer on Vine and tweets their whereabouts. They sell sandwiches and have a ball.
This point in the movie is incredibly redemptive. It is poignant and exciting. Carl is finally happy because his relationship with his son is blossoming and he is doing something that he loves. I could only hope at this point in the movie that nothing bad would happen. (I’m thankful that the movie ended on such a good note). It goes to show how taking risks and pursuing a passion can truly lead to one’s happiness. Like the Relevant article I read recently said about taking risks: “Do what you won’t regret.”
Not only is there a redemptive narrative at work in Carl’s cooking career and even in his personal life, there is also reconciliation that happens between him and the food critic. After a hard and busy day’s work in the food truck, the food critic shows up unannounced and ready to speak with Carl. He offers him the chance to open up his own restaurant. The movie fast forwards to six months later, with Carl having opened a new restaurant and (happily ever after ending in store), celebrates re-marriage to his ex-wife. The movie closes on a high note, with Carl dancing with his family. There is celebration, and joy is palpable.
I’m sad to say that I would’ve immediately shut off this movie six months ago at the first sign of cursing (which was frequent during this film), but now I’m not so sure that I would. I’m actually glad that I watched this movie because I was able to garner a deeper meaning from it. Popular cultural texts have the ability to do that. There is good, true, and beautiful things in culture, even amidst the ugly and perverse. Not all popular culture is bad. The desire for purity is real and indeed desirable, but the desire for meaning and significance is also equally as important.
I think after having watched this movie, I wonder what kinds of things I would allow myself to be exposed to now. Granted, there were certainly some inappropriate things that happened in that movie, and things that I would certainly condone for kids I may have in the future. Some of the things that were said in that movie are things I would not repeat and would certainly not say are okay. But details aside, the overall theme of the movie, the take home message, was one of redemption, good timing, opportunity, reconciliation, celebration, and joy. Carl finds joy from doing something that he loves. He is reunited with his family, his career is thriving, and ultimately his life is redeemed.
We’re never told how Carl gets to the point to where he’s at at the beginning of the movie, but by the end we know that regardless of what he’s experienced in the past, he has a bright future ahead of him. Carl once lived in darkness, now he dances in an all white suit, surrounded by loved ones, in a restaurant that he created for himself. He exudes light and life. What a beautiful, truthful story!
