Review of Burnt (2015) by Filmphonic — 22 Nov 2015

If you watched John Favreau’s delightful 2014 comedy/drama ‘Chef’ you’ll know that the beauty and love of food and its preparation is transferable to the big screen, given, pardon the pun, the right ingredients. With ‘Burnt’, director John Wells attempts to rework a winning formula for the world of “Gourmet” cuisine.

Cooper’s central character “Adam Jones” is the familiar tortured but driven soul, stumbling over obstacles on the path to redemption. Anyone who’s a fan of celebrity “superchefs” like Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White will recognize the many abrasive character traits of a culinary “Enfant terrible”, forged in the heat of the kitchen and pressure of the industry, but with Jones you can add an excessive rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.

But despite being billed a comedy and boasting a charming trailer, ‘Burnt’ is not particularly comedic and indeed lacks all the charm and heart that made ‘Chef’ so effective. Despite solid performances from Bradley Cooper and co-star Sienna Miller, ‘Burnt’ features often clichéd characters and a predictable narrative that lacks punch and lumbers along for what seems much longer than its 101 minute run time.

As expected ‘Burnt’ is beautifully shot and the food preparation sequences are essentially stylishly cinematic food porn, but given the aspirational nature of Haute cuisine, even these visuals are not as appetizing as they should be and have a sterile unattainable quality.

There isn’t much to surprise or grip an audience here, the most honest moment in the film is where Adam Jones nearly bursts the pompous bubble of high culinary art and its lucrative but pretentious nature. But ultimately ‘Burnt’ takes itself way too seriously just like the industry it depicts, and as Bradley Cooper’s character states, does so because it can.

The Bottom Line….

While disciples of Haute cuisine may enjoy something at time akin to food porn and despite solid lead performances, ‘Burnt’s’ predictable narrative and lack of charm result in an underwhelming experience that lacks in depth, arguably a fitting tribute to the subjective and detached industry it depicts.