Following a French gourmet chef and his head cook, two experts in the culinary craft, director Trần Anh Hùng examines food as a love language to symbolize the human connection to emotional and sentimental moments in life.

Trần Anh Hùng crafts a truly immersive experience into the smell, sights, and sounds of the kitchen. Spending a large amount of time in his introduction panning through multiple dishes’ entire process of coming together into a delicious meal to emphasize the role of the kitchen at the center of their lives. The kitchen is kept pristine, but the simmers of the stove and splatter of oil replicate the messiness of love and life to come for the inhabitants of this vivacious vicinity.

At the helm is chef, Eugénie, delegating to her fellow helpers what creamy sauce compliments the elaborate dish as she swifts around the kitchen in a choreographed fashion telling that they have done this culinary ballet many times before. The Director of Photography, Jonathan Ricquebourg, skips no steps in this picturesque cooking tutorial, allowing the camera to capture every moment of the intricate process of peeking into pots and pans as steam rises. Food has never been documented this well in the cinematic experience, vibrantly bringing each ingredient to life like a living soul. The noises of the kitchen score the romance to come as music to establish the relationship one has with food in how the world can be blocked for a moment to connect with the ingredients before you create an unforgettable experience for your guests.

Almost like an elevated romantic comedy, The Taste of Things builds on the dynamic between Eugénie and her employer, Dodin Bouffant as they not only indulge in cuisine but their love for one another. They have spent nearly two decades inhabiting a space together as Eugenie is the muse for Dodin’s recipes. She is the light that brings not only his food but him to life creating a melodic symphony of flavors and smells in the kitchen. Eugenie’s presence is forever ingrained in his taste palette and therefore his memory. Because of their close relations, there is room to continue to explore a romantic side of their relationship that both parties are interested in, but Eugenie has always chosen her free spirit. While the overall story of the film is loose, their relationship remains a constant moving through the runtime.

Trần Anh Hùng uses food to illustrate the close, sensual relationship between Eugénie and Dodin without including intimate scenes. Like a well-done roast, their romance is warm and tender. Their cooking means so much more than just listening to their appetite, but their sexual appetite. It is the specific way Eugenie can assemble a meal for Dodin that communicates everything about the operation of their bond. There is a naturalism to watching the lovers stand in a 19th-century kitchen using rustic tools to put together meals that are still enjoyed in the modern day. Cooking like gift giving has been a love language that has stood the test of time through cultures and evolution to reciprocate one’s feelings.

Not all is sweet, as Eugénie, the beating heart of this film, is revealed to be ill but her love of cooking powers her through the pain. Time is a part of every inch for preparing the meals, the changing of seasons, and course the time between loved ones as one of the parties has limited time remaining. Her lingering illness creates dramatic suspense for this duo to finally be together while also operating as the stakes of Dodin’s tastes he is willing to risk. Without her in his life, food no longer holds a taste cementing the idea of how food holds memories.

The Taste of Things is a heavenly watch by its use of sound and visuals to easily navigate through a romance. There are no hidden meanings or complicated ideas, just two people cooking and falling in love. The film’s craft mirrors its characters carefully putting together a dish, putting together the most delectable essentials to create one fine meal both visually and aromatically pleasing for the audiences to come.

Grade: B-|

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: Best Cinematography, Best International Feature

Release Date: February 9, 2024
Where to Watch: In Select Theaters