Julie & Julia is a film by writer and director Nora Ephron.  Ephron, brilliantly wrote this screenplay by intertwining the books of two women (Julia Child’s My Life in France and Julie Powell’s Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously), who found their purpose in life through the love of deliciously cooking French food.

Julia Child is played by the exceptional actor Meryl Streep, perfectly catching Child’s unique hooty voice and mannerisms.  The movie begins with Julia and her husband, Paul, (Stanley Tucci), living in Paris, France after WWII, where Paul is working at the American Embassy.  Bored, but loving the French cuisine, Julia decides to enroll in an all male cooking school known as Cordon Bleu. In 1961, the cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, was about the experiences of Child’s cooking.

Nearly 40 years later, this same book took over the life of another frustrated wife, Julie Powell, (Amy Adams) living in a small apartment in Queens, New York.  Not liking her job, but loving to cook, and with a push from her husband, Eric (Chris Messina), Julie decides to cook all 524 recipes in 365 days and blogs about it for Salon.com.

You may find yourself giggling at some of the cooking mishaps and obstacles endured by both Julia and Julie. At the same time, you may even find yourself salivating.  I especially liked the scene when you find out that Julie has never eaten an egg in her life.  She practices cooking a poached egg while her husband and friend look on.  The three sit down to eat and watch as Julie takes her first and second bite of the delicious poached egg. Smiling and proud of herself, Julie says it tastes like melted cheese. (Of course, guess what I made myself for breakfast? Yep, poached eggs!)

This film is not only about the cooking but it is also about the relationships within the marriages of both women. While Julia’s husband, Paul, is portrayed as a saint, I’m not really sure of Julie’s husband, Eric. He seems to be her biggest fan in the beginning of the movie, devouring everything she cooks and praises about how delicious it is. But later, after telling her she can just lie in her blogs, he becomes annoyed by Julie’s obsession of cooking everything exactly as it is suppose to be.

I also have to mention that Julia’s sister, Dorothy McWilliams is played by Jane Lynch. Another actor who I adore. (She is presently playing the part of the Cheerios cheerleading squad coach on the sitcom Glee).

I would recommend renting this film, if for nothing else, to see the amazing portrayal of the wonderful Julia Child by Meryl Streep. It is a nice escape from all the action and horror films.

Bon Appétit!