The Menu: Foodies, Flavor, & Fear
The Menu makes for an excitingly disturbing viewing experience
The recent film The Menu is a delectable social commentary on artistry and classism, accompanied by a display of dark comedy and satire, which I absolutely ate up. Not only is it thought-provoking, making its viewers question the borders between genuine artistry and obsession, but it also gets progressively more eerie and suspenseful.
The film follows a working-class protagonist Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and ten additional wealthy—and quite insufferable might I add—guests at The Hawthorne, an exclusive restaurant on a private island. It’s hosted by the renowned chef who, on top of it all, takes the enjoyment out of a meal played by Ralph Fiennes. To be frank, each character is rather unlikable, which leaves Margot as the only pleasantly relatable character.
Despite their stereotypical traits, each character has enough of their own unique identity, which makes their roles more prominent, like the food-critic and her editor. With her reviews, she has the power to shut down restaurants, while her publisher serves as her enabling sidekick. On the other hand, she and the chef are similar in the sense that they don’t enjoy the food itself but instead focus on what can be said about it. Her power contributes to a deadly tension in the dining room.
As the title alludes to, the food in The Menu plays a significant role. Everytime a course enters the screen, the name of the dish along with the ingredients and description appear. I’ve never seen food presented in such a way on screen before, but I really enjoyed it. While the movie totals thirteen dishes, I’d like to highlight my favorites.
The first dish which follows the appetizers is called “The Island.” This dish is an artistic plate containing plants, rocks, and slightly frozen seawater. Although lacking in food, it serves its role in beautifully representing the island itself and sets a trend for many of the coming dishes. Following “The Island,” is a lackluster dish called the “Breadless Bread Plate.” Once again, the meal itself is ridiculous, only containing small amounts of oils and spreads, but is presented in a way that’s still visually appealing.
Although being an entirely refreshing movie, it’s reminiscent of Parasite from 2019. If you’ve never seen Parasite and think The Menu sounds interesting, then give that a watch as well. Both movies combine elements of dark satire and suspense to create an amazing viewing experience. On a deeper level, both Parasite and The Menu challenge social inequality. These movies simultaneously make you think while being entertained, which elevates them beyond other films. The Menu makes for an excitingly disturbing viewing experience that should be on everyone’s watchlist. It’s not very often that you get a full-course of social commentary, foodie culture, fear, and suspense.
I’ll spare you the spoilers, but the unforgettable finale was enough to make The Menu one of my favorite movies of the decade. So many things were right about this movie from the impressive food presentation, to the great performances, and even to the concept of The Hawthorne itself. I went into this movie on an empty stomach, and couldn’t have been more pleased with how palatable it was.