By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Sandra Nettelbeck
Starring: August Zirner | Martina Gedeck | Maxime Foerste | Sergio Castellitto
Country: austria, germany, italy, switzerland
Year: 2002
Running time: 105
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0246772
Laura says: “MOSTLY MARTHA takes its cue from every film that’s ever found a single adult suddenly become responsible for a child. The cold climate/warm climate analogies of ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS are present everywhere, from the restaurant’s name to Lina’s paternity. The cliched caring neighbor is present in the form of Sam (Ulrich Thomsen, CELEBRATION), an architect whose romantic timing with Martha is off, but whose babysitting availability is always on.
“Gedeck, who resembles Rachel Weisz, acts confident in the kitchen (the actors all attended cooking school before filming) and tentative outside of it. She’s funny when upbraiding a disgruntled customer, exasperating when colliding with Mario and touching when fighting for Lina. She makes the audience want Martha to win. Castellitto is a teddy bear bearing comfort food who brings music into Martha’s sterile kitchen. Foerste, in her film debut, is a real little girl pained by her mother’s death. Studt is a nice presence as the mother to be in chef’s whites. Canonica brings the only sour note, reacting too harshly to her chef’s foibles.
“Nettelbeck’s debut is likeable thanks to its cast, its cuisine and its quirky tunes.” 3 cats
For Laura’s complete review: “http://www.reelingreviews.com/mostlymartha.htm”
Robin says: “What makes this tale of when two worlds collide a plus stems from the good-hearted screenplay, the restaurant locale and, especially, the solid cast. Martina Gedeck is suitably serious and obviously a dedicated chef as Martha. When we first meet her, she is explaining the complexity of making a fine dish. Then we realize that she is talking to a shrink at the behest of her boss. The obsessive nature, insecurity and need to do right (even when she isn’t entirely sure what ‘right’ is) make up Martha and the actress carries it off well.
“Two other perfs stand out to make MOSTLY MARTHA more than merely routine. Sergio Castellitto is a joy to watch and brings his character, Mario, to life. When he is brought in to replace the soon-to-be-birthing Lea, Martha perceives him as a threat to her and her job. But, it soon becomes obvious that the new chef has no such agenda as she learns that Mario runs a fun and frolicking kitchen where music predominates and a joyful work environment ensues. He is also a warm, sensitive and understanding man that you want Martha to be with. Young Maxime Foerste, as little Lina, is dead on as the lonely kid who doesn’t understand why her mom is gone and just wants to go home to the way things were. Her sullen demeanor is broken, as is her unstated hunger strike, with the intervention of Mario, who proceeds to both charm and feed Lina. The rest of the cast, primarily kitchen help, are convincing in their small roles. The only disappointment is Ulrich Thomsen’s good neighbor Sam. You just don’t get enough of the guy.
“Techs are decent, all around, with photography by Michael Bertl providing the fast moving camera that helps capture the hustle and bustle of a busy restaurant kitchen. When the lens enters Martha’s realm at restaurant Lido, the images get bright, almost washed out, defining it as the chef’s fiefdom.
“MOSTLY MARTHA is a bright, light modern day family parable that wears its heart on its sleeve for all to see. Sure it’s predictable, but the quality of the writing, directing and acting (and some well placed songs by Dean Martin, Louis Prima and others) help to make it a movie worth catching.” 3 cats
For Robin’s complete review: “http://www.reelingreviews.com/mostlymartha.htm”