In fact, I think it was the anti-Cars. That is, I felt that Cars wasn’t aimed at me, but seemed to be aimed at a certain US demographic that is politically and socially opposed not only to me, but I imagine, to the filmmakers themselves. On the other hand, Ratatouille seemed to be aimed in the opposite direction, right down to the prevalence of all things French, which the other demographic considers foolish, prissy, and downright Un-American. (Need I evoke the phrase “Freedom Fries”?)
I found Ratatouille to be intelligent, and it demanded a certain amount of intelligence on the part of the audience. It didn’t go for simple, easy-to-understand American-style names, preferring such monikers as Remy, Linguini, Django, Colette and Anton. I admire that. It didn’t hide from the fact that wine is a part of the gourmet / gourmand experience, as well as a good part of French culture itself. I also admire that. And it demanded you pay attention. It expects the audience to rise to meet it. Above all, I admire that.
There was a little too much slapstick for me, but that’s a personal taste. Slapstick can be funny, but I find it gets old fast. Still, the kids loved it, so that probably says something.
Working just under the surface, there were so many interesting themes – tribalism, the role of the Artist and Art, what it means to be driven to Excellence, the role of Critics and the power of criticism, and the difference between over-commercialized, corporate-manufactured Product and the intrinsic value of actual inspired creation. I saw a lot of Brad Bird coming through this film. In particular, I believe the riff on Following the Recipe was a riff on the Old Disney Way of making a film, which had become a formula after Walt’s death. I feel that Gusteau was filling in here for Walt, and that Remy was a proxy for Pixar, following instinct over formula, and doing the Unexpected. “Anyone can cook – but you must be brave if you want to be an excellent chef”. I also think the role of the critic in this film is a poke from Brad, and I would expect the critic’s speech at the end strongly mirrors Brad’s own feelings on the subject, even though he has been the beneficiary of some stunningly great critical reviews himself.
Anton Ego: In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so.But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core.
In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau’s famous motto: Anyone can cook. But I realize that only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.
I have a good friend who is a really good, successful writer who had some serious problems with this film. He went as far as to say it’s bad for families, sends the wrong messages, and that it’s a very selfish artistic creation. I value his friendship and hold his opinions in high esteem, but I have to disagree with him here. It’s a really strong film full of a lot of great ideas, and a very well constructed story. I think it’s a very generous film, great family fare, funny for kids at their level and great for intelligent adults as well. This is another great film from Pixar.
