Burnt

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John Wells

October 30, 2015

Prior to having a meltdown caused by drugs and alcohol that put his career on hiatus, Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) was one of Paris’ best chefs. Fortunately,  Adam gets a second chance at redemption after moving from New Orleans to London when his former maitre d’ (Daniel Bruhl) grudgingly names him head chef of his fine-dining establishment. The caustic and temperamental Jones, who demands perfection from his freshly created crew, is given a second chance to achieve his goal of receiving a third Michelin star.

The film isn’t flawless, especially when a strange side plot about money that Jones owes to a mafia organization rears its head to add some friction as the story progresses. Although Emma Thompson’s portrayal of the psychiatrist is acceptable, it would have been a really corny part if played by a different actress. As it stands, Thompson excels in her job as the exposition.

Starring Uma Thurman is completely pointless and wasteful. A lesbian critic who simply seems to affirm that Jones was previously a very sought-after person, to the point where she had a sexual encounter with him. It’s understandable why people might fall in love with Jones, who is pretty gorgeous, but it seems a bit unrealistic to assume that a lesbian would sleep with him just because he’s so hot. She is positioned to be a make-it-or-break-it food critic, yet she fails to appear on opening night at Jones’s restaurant. Maybe it was to prove her lost feelings for Jones, we’ll never know, but she certainly doesn’t deserve a pre-flick credit.

“Burnt” is a movie that is as innocuous as a Whopper. It’s good to be with it, and you’ll probably enjoy your time with it. However, if you dwell on it too much, you might feel a little self-conscious. I could feel good about seeing “Burnt” since I don’t feel guilty about eating Whoppers or Big Macs. In fact, it has only increased my admiration for Bradley Cooper’s engaging performance.

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