The Hundred Foot Journey.

                            The Hundred Foot Journey. Film Review.

"Food blends cultures and allows us to have just a little peek into someone else's life. It's about a hundred foot divide between cultures." (Oprah Winfrey)


Hassan Kadam ( Manish Daval) is the "boy who knows." Put it another way to give you a clue. "He has it." He has a gift. Okay…The Kadam family flee their hometown of Mumbai after their restaurant was firebombed by a mob over an election dispute. Their livelihood is destroyed and tragically, their mama perishes in the fire. They seek asylum in Europe heading to London for a short while. They leave England disappointed and head into Rotterdam, gateway to Europe after Hassan's remark to the Immigration officer that "the vegetables have no soul, no life," in England. So much for English food. Dismissed like that.
Mama Kadam had groomed him to replace her. "You cook to make ghosts. Spirits live on," she had told him.

The family reach the south of France, travelling by van, not the most roadworthy of vehicles, five children and papa. The brakes fail whilst driving close to the edge of the cliffs mid-Pyrenees, with breath-taking scenery. A knight in shining armour, or in this case, a young and attractive French sous-chef stops and offers assistance (Charlotte Le Bon). Stubborn papa (Om Puri, East is East & My Son the Fanatic) spots an abandoned restaurant for sale and seems determined to buy it against all odds. His children warn him it is unwise because the restaurant 100 feet opposite is a classy French restaurant called: Le Saule Pleureur (The Weeping Willow) in a traditionally French region. Who wants Indian food here?


It doesn't take long before an imperious and obnoxious Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren) comes snooping in her arrogant and contemptuous way with the intention of closing them down. To her refined way of thinking they represent "the death of good taste." She takes a menu away then makes a shopping sweep of all of the crayfish, salmon and mushrooms that they need for their opening night. When the Kadams arrive at the market they leave almost empty-handed having to improvise. Papa is so incensed he declares war against Mallory.

The story is based on Richard C. Morais' 2010 book and is directed by Lars Sven (Lasse) Hallstrom ( Dear John 2010  and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen 2011).
Two very different cultures and culinary tastes. "Indian cannot become French and French cannot become Indian," spoken emphatically by papa Kadam. Will they ever be able to get on? Can both cultures be fused together so that the Maison Mumbai can co-exist alongside Le Saule Pleureur? Madame Mallory aspires towards gaining a second Michelin star and then potentially a third. We are told by Marguerite, the sous-chef who works for her that two stars is amazing but three is only for the Gods! So, explain why Hassan is instrumental in achieving Mallory's second star after such fierce rivalry.

Hassan is certainly a star with his original and innovative approach, but there's a little bit of romance thrown in for the sentimental measure. Have a heart. "And now the Gods will take him." Not bad for a lad described by the media as someone who has emerged from the gutter (caniveau).


Bastille Day is celebrated by the French and the restaurant is closed. However, Maison Mumbai remains open. This is seen as sacrilege, highlighting the tension felt by the French nationals towards the  Indians. Jean-Pierre, the main chef working for Mallory is loyal to France and unfortunately, racist. "France for the French." For the second time in their lives, the Kadams find themselves struggling when their restaurant is firebombed and Hassan attempts to stop the French men from destroying it. Consequently he is badly burnt and unable to continue cooking until his hands heal. At this point the climax is reached and the warring factors call a truce.

Once the sparring ends we have unexpected romance and  dancing to Charles Aznavour's  Yesterday When I Was Young. A new beginning. I suppose the author wanted the characters and readers alike to gain an understanding of what it's like to be someone else. It's what Atticus told Scout that you never quite understand a person until you step into his shoes. Differences create obstacles to friendship and harmony. Perhaps we should be looking for similarities? In the end, surely it is compassion that binds us together as a human race. Isn't this what humanity is all about? Thank Morais for reminding us.

The two restaurants may be 100 feet apart, with a main road dividing them but the journey taken by Mallory and the Kadams, mainly Hassan and papa is as the title implies, hard just like adopting a new culture and repressing your native culture. If you want a film that makes you feel good with the world, with differences reaching happy resolutions and a few nice surprises at the end then you might be as delighted with the film as I was.


REVIEW it by Carol Naylor.

Copyright 2015. Permission must be obtained from the author before this article review is reproduced.

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