MOSTLY MARTHA (Drei Sterne)

"I'm not compulsive! I'm precise!" exclaims Martha (Martina Gedeck) defensively as she lays out an excessively formal several-course meal for a friend at her apartment. Being the "second best chef in the city" (as her boss coyly calls her) keeps Martha on her toes at the restaurant where she is the master chef of the kitchen. However, being so career-driven has made Martha a bit of an ice-queen socially—she even finds herself finding solace in the kitchen's walk-in refrigerator to hide from her staff and customers. 

Suddenly one day, her precise and perfectly-ordered world is thrown for a loop when her sister dies in a car accident, leaving Martha inheriting her sullen 9-year-old niece Lina (Maxime Foerste). Needless to say, neither is too pleased with the situation. When Martha finds that her newly erratic schedule has caused the restaurant to hire another chef for the kitchen, a charming and romantic Italian named Mario (Sergio Castellitto), she can't help but bristle towards his overtures of friendship. However, Martha can't help but notice that with a dash of charm, a large helping of patience, and a big plate of Italian food, it is Mario that is finally reaching through to her unhappy niece—and maybe even melting Martha's cool exterior as well. 

Oddly enough, I found Martha's main flaw of precision-without-soul to be the flaw of Mostly Martha as well. It is a very well-made film: it looks great, the acting overall is top notch, and technically, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. But, as Martha is a bit of an ice-queen, so is the film. I didn't particularly feel involved with the characters or the story. The plot is by the book (you know Martha and Lina will grow attached; you know swarthy Mario will crack Martha's exterior), which leaves little room for surprise.

However, with a movie like this, the plot is secondary to the food. If you like food movies, such as Eat, Drink, Man, Woman, or Big Night, you'll probably want to check this film out. But be sure to eat beforehand, as your stomach will be rumbling and your mouth watering because of the feasts laid before your eyes!