Julia

Directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West, Julia explores the life and career of famed chef Julia Child through a series of eye-opening clips and compelling interviews. It’s inherently compelling subject matter that is, for the most part, employed to perfectly watchable (and sporadically engrossing) effect by Cohen and West, as the filmmakers deliver an almost paint-by-numbers documentary that contains virtually every device and convention one has come to associate with the genre – with the most egregious (and distracting) example of this the directors’ ongoing reliance on newly-shot footage of food being prepared. There’s nevertheless little doubt that Julia, for the most part, comes off as a relatively solid endeavor that does a good job of highlighting the ups and downs of its subject’s life, with the compelling vibe heightened by a recurring emphasis on behind-the-scenes footage and Child’s own narration of certain events. (And it doesn’t hurt, either, that the movie boasts a series of interview with such notable chefs as José Andrés, Ina Garten, and Jacques Pépin.) It’s clear, too, that Julia ultimately does pack an emotional punch as it deals with the relationship between Child and her fiercely loyal husband, Paul, which, in addition to ensuring that the picture concludes on a memorable, positive note, ultimately cements its place as a fine primer on a seriously influential figure in the food world.

*** out of ****