Review of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) by Andy S — 12 Mar 2013
If you dont like arty Peter Greenaway films then stay away from this film, which I think is his masterpiece.
The basic story is of course a gangster film,but with Greenaway behind the lens its soo much more than that.
First of all the film looks amazing and the costumes by John Paul Gaultier suit the mood and atmosphere entirely.
The other neat trick the director employs is having the colour of the leading players costumes change colour whenever they enter certain rooms in Greenaways luxury French Resturant.
The plot is fairly straight as Michael Gambons utterly repellent gangster Albert Spica takes ownership of a posh resturant and proceeeds to be as course and crass as he would be if he was in some East end pub.
Helen Mirrren is super ice cold as Alberts wife Georgina who begins and affair with a bookish resturant goer which will lead to violence and to cap it all cannibalism.
The film is very very opulent and Michael Nymans score compliments the ravishing visuals.
There is plenty of violence and nudity and its not your regular gangster film by any strech of the imagination.
The film may not be to everybodys taste if you pardon the pun but its one of the directors best films.
This review of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) was written by Andy S on 12 Mar 2013.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover has generally received very positive reviews.
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