Changes: No Reservations

Latest revision as of 12:52, 2 November 2014

No Reservations is a 2007 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Scott Hicks. Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin, the screenplay by Carol Fuchs is an adaptation of an original script by Sandra Nettelbeck, which served as the basis for the 2001 German film Mostly Martha, and revolves around a hard-edged chef whose life is turned upside down when she decides to take in her young niece following a tragic accident that killed her sister. Patricia Clarkson, Bob Balaban and Jenny Wade co-star, with Brian F. O'Byrne, Lily Rabe and Zoe Kravitz—appearing in her first feature film—playing supporting roles.

The film received a mixed reception by critics, who found it “predictable and too melancholy for the genre”, resulting into an 41% overall approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Upon its opening release on July 27, 2007 in the United States and Canada, No Reservations became a moderate commercial success: The film grossed $12 million in its opening weekend, eventually grossing over $43 million at the domestic box-office and over $92 million worldwide. Breslin was nominated for a Young Artist Awards for her performance.

Directed by: Scott Hicks
Produced by: Kerry Heysen, Sergio Aguero
Written by: Carol Fuchs, Sandra Nettelbeck
Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin, Patricia Clackson, Bob Balaban
Music by: Philip Glass

No Reservations (2007) trailer
Cinematography: Stuart Dryburgh
Edited by: Pip Karmel
Country: U.S.A.
Language: English
Running time: 104 minutes
Budget: $28 million
Box Office: $93 million
Release date: July 27, 2007
Distributed by: Warner Bros.

Plot

Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is the head chef at the trendy 22 Bleecker Street Restaurant in Manhattan, New York, and one of the bests chefs of New York.

Kate3 — Kate in one of her sessions with her therapist

She is obsessed with the kitchen, with the preparation and presentation of the dishes, and she's an exaggerated perfectionist. Her therapist (Bob Balaban) can see this during their sessions. Kate's boss Paula (Patricia Clarkson) says she will fire Kate unless she goes to theraphy, so when Kate goes to theraphy she can't stop talking about dishes and cooking. In a session, her therapist asks her why she thinks she needs therapy but Kate is obvlibious about her obssesion.

Kate is the best at her work. She runs her kitchen at a rapid pace as she coordinates the making and preparation of all the fantastic meals, and personally displays the food to perfection on every dish. She intimidates everyone around her, Kate hates to leave the kitchen when a customer wants to compliment her on one of her special dishes, however she is ready to leave the kitchen in an instant when a customer insults her cooking.

Kate doesn't mind about contradicting her customers about her dishes

But personally Kate has no life since her whole world is centered on the kitchen.

When Kate's sister is killed in a car accident, Kate's nine-year old niece, Zoe (Abigalil Breslin), must move in to live with her, as it was Kate's sister wishes if something happened to her. Kate is devastated by her sister's death and with all of her problems, Paula decides to give Kate a week off.

Zoe doesn't want to eat any elaborated dish Kate prepares for her

During this time, Paula hires a new sous chef to join the staff, Nick Palmer (Aaron Eckhart), who is a rising star in his own right and could be the head chef of any restaurant he pleased. Nick, however, wanted to

Kate4 — The athmosphere at the kitchen is difficult because of Kate and Nick's icy relationship

work under Kate since he's an admirer of her work. Kate meets him while one of her visits at the restaurant.

When Kate returns to work, the atmosphere in the kitchen is somewhat chaotic as Kate feels increasingly threatened by Nick as time went on due to his style of running her kitchen. Nick has an uplifting personality , he loves to listen to opera while he cooks and he loves to make the staff laugh. Nick also flits persistently with Kate and Kate finds herself strangely attracted to Nick.

Kate11 — Nick, Kate and Zoe have a funny dinner at Kate's home

Nick's uplifting personality has not only affected Kate but Zoe as well, who has been coming to work with Kate.

One afternoon Nick comes to Kate's home and he and Zoe cook for Kate. That was the wish Zoe makes to Kate (since Kate promises she can ask her a wish to amend what Kate has done wrong for Zoe in the last days).

Kate and Nick fall in love.

Kate and Nick fall in love

Yet life hits her hard when Paula decides to offer Nick the job of head chef and Kate's relationship with Nick turns a sour note due to Kate's pride.

In the end, Kate allows herself to become vulnerable and tear down the walls she has built throughout her life so that she and Nick could start fresh. The movie concludes with Zoe, Nick and Kate having opened their own bistro.

Cast[]

- Catherine Zeta-Jones - Kate Armstrong

- Aaron Eckhart - Nicholas "Nick" Palmer

- Abiagail Breslin - Zoe

- Patricia Clarkson - Paula

- Bob Balaban - Therapist

- Jenny Wade - Leah Scott

Music[]

The film soundtrack makes extensive use of operatic music, and includes (uncredited) Liz Phair's song "Count On My Love".

1. Truffles And Quail - Conrad Pope

2. Sway - Michael Buble

3. Celeste Aida - Luciano Pavarotti

4. O Mio Babbino Caro - Renata Tebaldi

5. Zoe & Kate Watch Video - Phillip Glass

6. Libiamo Libiamo - Joan Sutherland

7. Via Con Me - Paolo Conte

8. La Donna E 'Mobile - Joseph Calleja

9. Un Bel Di 'Vedremo - Renata Tebaldi

10. Zoe Goes To the Restaurant - Phillip Glass

11. Cielo E Mar - Luciano Pavarotti

12. Mambo Gelato - Ray Gelato

13. Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti

14. Count On My Love - Liz Phair

Reception[]

Critical reception:[]

Rotten Tomatoes, an aggregate of reviews from published critics, showed only 41% reviewed it favorably.
Matt Zoller Seitz of The New York Times said, "What's unexpected and gratifying ... is the film's enlightened attitude toward parenthood and work, which the movie's publicity campaign conspicuously glosses over, even though it’s the story's driving force ... Make no mistake: No Reservations is a factory-sealed romantic comedy ... But the emotional details of Kate, Nick and Zoe’s journey are surprising, honest and life-size, and the film’s determination to present their predicament sympathetically, without appealing to retrograde ideals of femininity and motherhood, makes it notable, and in some ways unique."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times stated, "The movie is focused on two kinds of chemistry: of the kitchen, and of the heart. The kitchen works better, with shots of luscious-looking food, arranged like organic still lifes. But chemistry among Nick, Kate and Zoe is curiously lacking, except when we sense some fondness—not really love—between Zoe and her potential new dad ... the characters seem to feel more passion for food than for each other."
Carina Chocano of the Los Angeles Times called the film "one of those movies that presents life precisely and meticulously as it isn't, presumably as some kind of consolation for how it really is" and added, "With its simplistic compartmentalization of dueling personality types, kindergarten view of grown-up love, exquisite styling, overripe camera moves and lousy, overwrought score, the movie feels stubbornly, resolutely disingenuous and one-dimensional. Everything in it is designed to make you feel better, so why does it feel artificial and palliative in that really depressing way?"^[5]
Todd McCarthy of Variety observed, "Agreeably prepared and attractively presented, this remake of the tasty 2001 German feature Mostly Martha bears too many earmarks of Hollywood packaging and emotional button-pushing, but doesn't go far wrong by closely sticking to the original's smart story construction ... Scott Hicks' work cuts both ways, creating a warm cocoon that fosters engagement with the well-drawn characters while at the same time steering the material in softer-than-necessary directions and refraining from peeking any deeper into the main characters to suggest what makes them tick. Without question, Ratatouille deals more profoundly with the personality makeup and urges of a driven chef-as-artist than does this genial divertissement."

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart at the movie premiere

Box office:[]

No Reservations was released in 2,425 theaters in the US on July 27, 2007 and earned $11,704,357 and ranked fifth on its opening weekend. The film eventually grossed $43,107,979 in the US and $49,493,071 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $92,601,050.

Awards and nominations[]

Abigail Breslin was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Leading Young Actress for her performance as Zoe.

[5

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 But personally Kate has no life since her whole world is centered on the kitchen.
-When Kate's sister is killed in a car accident, Kate's nine-year old niece, Zoe (Abigalil Breslin), must move in to live with her as it was Kate's sister wishes of something happened to her. Kate is devastated by her sister's death and with all of her problems, Paula decides to give Kate a week off.
+When Kate's sister is killed in a car accident, Kate's nine-year old niece, Zoe (Abigalil Breslin), must move in to live with her, as it was Kate's sister wishes if something happened to her. Kate is devastated by her sister's death and with all of her problems, Paula decides to give Kate a week off.
 <gallery type="slideshow" widths="346" position="center">
@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 </gallery>
-During this time, Paula hires a new sous chef to join the staff, Nick Palmer (Aaron Eckhart), who is a rising star in his own right and could be the head chef of any restaurant he pleased. Nick, however, wanted to work under Kate since he's an admirer of her work. Kate meets him while one of her visits at the restaurant.
+During this time, Paula hires a new sous chef to join the staff, Nick Palmer (Aaron Eckhart), who is a rising star in his own right and could be the head chef of any restaurant he pleased. Nick, however, wanted to
+[[File:Kate4.jpg|thumb|346px|The athmosphere at the kitchen is difficult because of Kate and Nick's icy relationship]]
+work under Kate since he's an admirer of her work. Kate meets him while one of her visits at the restaurant.
 When Kate returns to work, the atmosphere in the kitchen is somewhat chaotic as Kate feels increasingly threatened by Nick as time went on due to his style of running her kitchen. Nick has an uplifting personality , he loves to listen to opera while he cooks and he loves to make the staff laugh. Nick also flits persistently with Kate and Kate finds herself strangely attracted to Nick.
+[[File:Kate11.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Nick, Kate and Zoe have a funny dinner at Kate's home]]
 Nick's uplifting personality has not only affected Kate but Zoe as well, who has been coming to work with Kate.
-One afternoon Nick comes to Kate's home adn he and Zoe cook for Kate. That was the wish Zoe makes to Kate (since Kate promises she can ask her a wish to amend what Kate has done wrong for Zoe in the last days). Kate and Nick fall in love.
+One afternoon Nick comes to Kate's home and he and Zoe cook for Kate. That was the wish Zoe makes to Kate (since Kate promises she can ask her a wish to amend what Kate has done wrong for Zoe in the last days).
+Kate and Nick fall in love.
+<gallery type="slideshow" position="center" widths="340">
+kate9.jpg|Kate and Nick fall in love
+</gallery>
 Yet life hits her hard when Paula decides to offer Nick the job of head chef and Kate's relationship with Nick turns a sour note due to Kate's pride.
 In the end, Kate allows herself to become vulnerable and tear down the walls she has built throughout her life so that she and Nick could start fresh. The movie concludes with Zoe, Nick and Kate having opened their own bistro.
+<gallery type="slideshow" position="center" widths="342">
+kate16.jpg
+</gallery>
@@ Line 152: / Line 169: @@
 |14. Count On My Love - Liz Phair
 |}
+==Reception==
+==='''Critical reception:'''===
+*'''Rotten Tomatoes''', an aggregate of reviews from published critics, showed only 41% reviewed it favorably.
+*Matt Zoller Seitz of '''The New York Times''' said, "What's unexpected and gratifying ... is the film's enlightened attitude toward parenthood and work, which the movie's publicity campaign conspicuously glosses over, even though it’s the story's driving force ... Make no mistake: ''No Reservations'' is a factory-sealed romantic comedy ... But the emotional details of Kate, Nick and Zoe’s journey are surprising, honest and life-size, and the film’s determination to present their predicament sympathetically, without appealing to retrograde ideals of femininity and motherhood, makes it notable, and in some ways unique."
+*Roger Ebert of the '''Chicago Sun-Times''' stated, "The movie is focused on two kinds of chemistry: of the kitchen, and of the heart. The kitchen works better, with shots of luscious-looking food, arranged like organic still lifes. But chemistry among Nick, Kate and Zoe is curiously lacking, except when we sense some fondness—not really love—between Zoe and her potential new dad ... the characters seem to feel more passion for food than for each other."
+*Carina Chocano of the '''Los Angeles Times''' called the film "one of those movies that presents life precisely and meticulously as it isn't, presumably as some kind of consolation for how it really is" and added, "With its simplistic compartmentalization of dueling personality types, kindergarten view of grown-up love, exquisite styling, overripe camera moves and lousy, overwrought score, the movie feels stubbornly, resolutely disingenuous and one-dimensional. Everything in it is designed to make you feel better, so why does it feel artificial and palliative in that really depressing way?"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Reservations_(film)#cite_note-5 [5]]</sup>
+*Todd McCarthy of '''Variety''' observed, "Agreeably prepared and attractively presented, this remake of the tasty 2001 German feature ''Mostly Martha'' bears too many earmarks of Hollywood packaging and emotional button-pushing, but doesn't go far wrong by closely sticking to the original's smart story construction ... Scott Hicks' work cuts both ways, creating a warm cocoon that fosters engagement with the well-drawn characters while at the same time steering the material in softer-than-necessary directions and refraining from peeking any deeper into the main characters to suggest what makes them tick. Without question, '''Ratatouille''' deals more profoundly with the personality makeup and urges of a driven chef-as-artist than does this genial divertissement."
+<gallery type="slideshow" widths="342" position="center">
-==Release==
+Aaron+Eckhart+Catherine+Zeta+Jones+No+Reservations+DPxamz5bqO4l.jpg|Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart at the movie premiere
-==='''Box office performance:'''===
-''Traffic''<span style="font-size:15px;"> was given a limited release on December 27, 2000 in four theaters where it grossed USD</span><span style="font-size:15px;"> $184,725 on its opening weekend. </span>
-<span style="font-size:15px;">It was given a wide release on January 5, 2001 in 1,510 theaters where it grossed $15.5 million on its opening weekend. The film would make $124.1 million in North America and $83.4 million in foreign markets for a worldwide total of $207.5 million, well above its estimated $48 million budget.</span>
-====<span class="mw-headline" id="Critical_response" style="font-size:20px;">Critical response:</span>====
-===='''Rotten Tomatoes''' reported that 92% of critics gave the film positive write-ups, based on a sample of 154, with an average score of 8/10, and the consensus being "Soderbergh successfully pulls off the highly ambitious Traffic, a movie with three different stories and a very large cast. The issues of ethics are gray rather than black-and-white, with no clear-cut good guys. Terrific acting all around." At '''Metacritic''' the film has received an average score of 86, based on 34 reviews.<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Film critic '''Roger Ebert''' gave the film four out of four stars and wrote, "The movie is powerful precisely because it doesn't preach. It is so restrained that at one moment—the judge's final speech—I wanted one more sentence, making a point, but the movie lets us supply that thought for ourselves". Stephen Holden, in his review for '''The New York Times''', wrote, "''Traffic'' is an utterly gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Or rather it is several interwoven thrillers, each with its own tense rhythm and explosive payoff". In his review for '''The New York Observer''', Andrew Sarris wrote, "''Traffic'' marks [Soderbergh] definitively as an enormous talent, one who never lets us guess what he's going to do next. The promise of '''Sex, Lies and Videotape''' has been fulfilled".====
-===='''''Entertainment Weekly''''' gave the film an "A" rating and praised Benicio del Toro's performance, which critic Owen Gleiberman called, "haunting in his understatement, [it] becomes the film's quietly awakening moral center". Desson Howe, in his review for the '''Washington Post''', wrote, "Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan, who based this on a British television miniseries of the same name, have created an often exhilarating, soup-to-nuts exposé of the world's most lucrative trade". In his review for '''Rolling Stone''', Peter Travers wrote, "The hand-held camerawork – Soderbergh himself did the holding—provides a documentary feel that rivets attention". However, Richard Schickel, in his review for '''Time''', wrote, "there is a possibly predictable downside to this multiplicity of story lines: they keep interrupting one another. Just as you get interested in one, Stephen Gaghan's script, inspired by a British mini-series, jerks you away to another".====
-====<span class="mw-headline" id="Top_ten_lists" style="font-size:20px;">Top ten lists:</span>====
-====''Traffic'' appeared on several critics' top ten lists for 2000. Some of the notable top-ten list appearances are:====
-*====2nd — [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._O._Scott A. O. Scott], ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times The New York Times]''====
-*====2nd — [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jami_Bernard Jami Bernard], ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Daily_News New York Daily News]''<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_(2000_film)#cite_note-25 [25]]</sup>====
-*====2nd — Bruce Kirkland, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Toronto_Sun The Toronto Sun]''<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_(2000_film)#cite_note-26 [26]]</sup>====
-*====3rd — [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Holden Stephen Holden], ''The New York Times''====
-*====3rd — [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Gleiberman Owen Gleiberman], ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertainment_Weekly Entertainment Weekly]''====
-*====3rd — [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Travers Peter Travers], ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone Rolling Stone]''====
-*====4th — [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ebert Roger Ebert], ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Sun-Times Chicago Sun-Times]''====
-*====4th — Jack Mathews, ''New York Daily News''====
-==Accolades:==
-The film won '''Academy Awards''' in the categories '''Best Director''' (Steven Soderbergh), '''Best Supporting Actor''' (Benicio Del Toro), '''Best Film Editing''' (Mirrione) and '''Best Adapted Screenplay''' (Stephen Gaghan).[[File:Del_Toro_Oscar.png|thumb|194px|Benicio Del Toro won an Oscar for his role in "Traffic"]] It was also nominated for Best Picture, alongside another Soderbergh film, '''Erin Brokovich''', but lost to '''Gladiator. Traffic '''was nominated for five''' Golden Globe Awards''' including''' Best Motion Picture - Drama, Soderbergh''' for''' Best Director, Del Toro '''for''' Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture, Catherine Zeta-Jones '''for''' Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture '''and''' Steven Gaghan '''for''' Best Screenplay. B'''oth Del Toro and Gaghan''' '''won in their respective categories.''' '''In addition, Del Toro won''' Screen Actors Guild Award '''for''' Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. '''He went on to win '''BAFTA Award''' for''' Best Actor in a Supporting Role '''along with Gahan, who won for '''Best Adapted Screenplay'''.
-<gallery type="slideshow" widths="344" position="center">
-Steven-Soderbergh-Oscar.jpg|Steven Soderbergh receiving his Oscar for Best Director for '''Traffic'''
 </gallery>
+==='''Box office:'''===
+''No Reservations'' was released in 2,425 theaters in the US on July 27, 2007 and earned $11,704,357 and ranked fifth on its opening weekend. The film eventually grossed $43,107,979 in the US and $49,493,071 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $92,601,050.
+==Awards and nominations==
+Abigail Breslin was nominated for the '''Young Artist Award''' for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Leading Young Actress for her performance as Zoe.
-===='''[[File:Sagtraffic.jpg|thumb|left|358px|Traffic won the Screen Actor Award for Best Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture]]'''====
-===='''New York FIlm Critics Circle''' named ''Traffic'' as the '''Best Film''', Soderbergh as '''Best Director''', and Del Toro as '''Best Supporting Actor'''. '''Los Angeles Film Critics Association''' awarded Soderbergh '''Best Director'''. Members of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Film_Critics_Association Toronto Film Critics Association] voted Soderbergh as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Film_Critics_Association_Award_for_Best_Director Best Director] and del Toro as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Film_Critics_Association_Award_for_Best_Actor Best Actor]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Society_of_Film_Critics National Society of Film Critics] also voted Soderbergh and del Toro as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Society_of_Film_Critics_Award_for_Best_Director Best Director] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Society_of_Film_Critics_Award_for_Best_Supporting_Actor Best Supporting Actor], respectively.====