The 'Ratatouille' concept could be off-putting - a rat who dreams of using his bubonic paws to cook for humans at a ritzy Parisian restaurant - but it's so funny and lovable that the ick factor vanishes almost immediately. The movie's focus is the relationship between a rat named Remy and an apprentice chef named Linguini, who secretly relies on his ratty pal, hidden in a chef's hat, to help him make dishes such as the vegetable stew that gives the movie its title. Written and directed by Brad Bird, whose last movie was the slam-bang action film "The Incredibles," "Ratatouille" has a low-key, cozy feel.
Its depiction of Paris - with cobblestones, verdigris roofs, red awnings and fountains - captures the spirit of the city, which is suddenly big at the multiplex ("Angel-A," "Paris, Je T'aime"). And its slightly too-elaborate story illustrates the popular animated theme that if you can dream it, you can do it (Remy, who longs for something better than a rat's life, says of human beings, "They don't just survive; they discover. Just look what they do with food.
"). Remy, distinctly voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt, is swell but, as is often the case ("The Wizard of Oz," "101 Dalmatians," Barry Bonds), the nasty character is more memorable. He's Anton Ego, a sour restaurant critic who resembles Christopher Lee and has the glorious voice of Peter O'Toole.
Ego has trashed the reputation of the restaurant where Remy and Linguini sprinkle parsley and puree root vegetables, and the entire movie builds to the moment when Ego's heart grows three sizes as he tastes Remy's food. "Ratatouille" nails its traditionally cartoony moments, such as a clever, "Tom and Jerry"-ish scene where Remy races around a kitchen, sliding down ladles, hurtling around in a pastry cart and hiding under a colander. But its poignant story and vivid characters (there's a health inspector who's a dead ringer for Edgar Allan Poe and a sous chef who says, at one point, "Listen, we hate to be rude.
But we're French.") are what make it one of the best movies - of any kind - this summer. Chris Hewitt can be reached at chewitt@pioneerpress.
com or 651-228-5552. The 'Ratatouille' concept could be off-putting - a rat who dreams of using his bubonic paws to cook for humans at a ritzy Parisian restaurant - but it's so funny and lovable that the ick factor vanishes almost immediately.
News RSS