Ratatouille (2007) Review

“I told them I would ask!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgsQ8mVkN8w

THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Dreams really do come in all shapes and sizes. If you need a reminder, Ratatouille will do it for you.


PLOT


The 2007 film follows a talking rat named Remy who shares with peers his passion to cook like a human. He grew up in a colony led by his father Django who wasn’t impressed of his strong smell unlike his older brother Emile. They live in the attic of a house that belongs to an elderly woman. Remy looks up to the chef Auguste Gusteau who was decorated until dying of a heart attack following a negative review from food critic Anton Ego. One day, Remy cooks his own meal with ingredients in the kitchen and Emile does help him, but they get spotted by the lady and she shoots at them until the ceiling collapses leaving her in shock when seeing the colony. Remy gets separated from him family when wanting to collect the Gusteau cookbook to continue his passion. He wouldn’t find them soon, but would be encouraged by an imaginary Gusteau to explore. He would find himself in Paris and immediately see his idol’s restaurant. He would see it under the ownership of his former sous chef Skinner who wants to franchise the restaurant with frozen food items. Remy would then be stunned to see a new garbage boy named Alfredo Linguini accidentally tamper a soup. When falling into the kitchen, he takes advantage to fix it and gets caught by Linguini and hides him. He unintentionally takes the credit of fixing the soup which leads to it leaving a big impression on another food critic named Solene LeClaire. Skinner considers firing linguini for almost ruining it until fellow chef Collette tatou defends him, pointing out that firing him would go against Gusteau’s motto “Anyone can cook”. So just when Skinner considers to let him stay and demands the soup to be recreated, he spots Remy and demands him to kill him to avoid the restaurant getting closed down. Linguini instead chooses to spare him when he realizes the understands him and keeps him around for his help with the soup the next day. When that day comes, Remy learns to control his movements by pulling his hair and he is able to hide in his hat to do so in the kitchen. After Linguini starts official training with Collette which would lead to a romance between them, Remy would reunite with Emile and start stealing food behind his friends’s back. Although he is happy to see his brother and father back, he’s still at odds with the latter when expressing his interest to be different. Django then decides to show him a store full of exterminator equipment meant to kill vermin like rats. Remy defies this and chooses to not stay with his dad. A few days later, he’d be annoyed Emile wants him to keep stealing for him and his friends. When he sneaks back into the restaurant to unlock the fridge, he finds Skinner’s office and uncovers a big discovery left by Alfredo’s late mother Renata, who wrote a letter to Skinner that her son’s father is Gusteau himself which makes him the restaurant’s rightful owner. Skinner was trying to hide the letter to avoid relinquishing ownership and when he catches Remy in the office, he tries chasing him to prevent just that. The rat would take it and give it to Alfredo after said case. The revelation would get Skinner fired and once Alfredo settles into his new life through his inheritance, his popularity gets the attention of Ego who plans to review the restaurant again the next day. Irritated that he took the credit, Remy chooses to raid the restaurant at night with his dad’s entire colony. This backfires because Linguini would try apologizing being unfair to him that night and would be heartbroken he broke his promise to stop stealing. He kicks them all out and tidies up before Ego arrives and the morning of, Remy gets caught in a trap by Skinner who not only overheard the truth he’s the true cook, but now wants to exploit him. Thankfully, Emile & Django free him as soon as they could. Remy returns to the restaurant again and risks being killed by the staff until Linguini intervenes and tells the truth on who’s the true genius. The staff including Colette would walk out in disbelief despite the stakes. Django would be so moved of his son’s friendship with a human that he convinces his clan to help him cook and hold a health inspector, named Nadar Lessard (Tony Fucile), called in by Skinner a day prior, to avoid infestation from exposed before serving Ego. Linguini would wait tables and Collette would be the only one to return, reminded of Gusteau’s motto. She would cook with a Remy a ratatouille dish that would impress Ego so much that it would remind him past happiness he felt in his childhood when his mother used to cook for him. Skinner would be surprised as well, but would be held hostage as well until Ego leaves. Ego would meet Remy after all the other customers have left and after seeing how the magic works, he would give a positive review without revealing Remy to the public: “In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position of those who offer up their work and theirselves 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 probably more meaningful than our criticism designating itself. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery & defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations, the new needs friends. 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 about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret to my disdain Chef Gusteau’s famous motto, ‘Anyone can cook’. But I realize only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau’s, who is in this critic’s opinion nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau’s soon hunch for more”. After Skinner & the health inspector get let go though, they did report the rat infestation which closed the restaurant and cost Ego his job since it destroyed his credibility. However, he still found happiness because he invested in a bistro for Linguini to open with Collete & Remy called “La Ratatouille”, which he’d frequently visit. The film would end with revealing the rat colony to have settled into the bistro’s attic as their new home.


THOUGHTS


The 2000s is hands down the golden era of Pixar because after the success Toy Story & A Bug’s Life brought in the second half of the 90s, there was incredible continuation of consistency in original storytelling. Brad Bird arguably became a master of his craft with The Incredibles & WB’s The Iron Giant, so it felt like he was bound to stir up the pot just right. Every second in his second outing with the animated studio is just beautiful to me because while you have a good laugh with the physical comedy involving a dynamic duo between rat and human, seeing Remy get squeezed by chef de salle Mustafa (John Ratzenberger) after being mistaken to be a salt, Remy walking on two feet which causes a cyclist to crash into a car, a spy couple falling in love or Will Arnett give elaborate backstories of the mysterious sous chef Horst, real life chef Anthony Bourdain even pointed out how it truly captured restaurant kitchen chaos he’s familiar with. I don’t think he was wrong because I give credit to the visual-ness that comes from how it feels to bite into food and enjoy every flavor. Just seeing all the shapes and colors that can come from one mind bite after bite was a good touch as well. Apart from an ecstatic Michael Giacchino score that makes you want to enter a kitchen, I think the reason this film is a true standout of its medium because it’s a very poignant representation of teaching audiences that greatness does come from anywhere whether or not you’re noticing and wherever it comes from should not be important because the boundaries for talent are going to be endless anyway. It’s definitely unorthodox for a rat wanting to cook, but Remy’s journey does prove the point that societal expectations should be out the door when it comes to dream chasing. From the get go, Patton Oswalt has us love the leading rat in his all timer of a voice performance because he inspires us to keep pursuing the things we want due to his ambition to do what his kind wouldn’t do, such as learning how to read in order to cook. Peter Sohn makes Emile adorable because despite far more clumsy in comparison, he still has that lovable approach where loyally respects his brother’s interests without fully understanding it. He couldn’t help himself asking for a favor to have Remy steal for him and many friends, but you can’t blame him since it ain’t easy for a rat to scavenge in a place as big as Paris. As for Django, I think Brian Dennehy makes him a great dad because he’s not intending to crush any dreams & aspirations, he’s just choosing to be protective to his sons by being realistic with what he knows. In the long run, his opinions would never change had he not seen the bonds Remy got to build without him. Its obvious everyone loved Gusteau due to how Brad Garrett presented him as the most charisma blended with passion which inspires Remy to stay true to what he wants, but the latter would’ve not ever truly happened had he not met one illegitimate son. Overtime, I’ve grown to adore Lou Romano as Linguini because I relate to how he maintains a good heart no matter how insecure he feels since he never had any aspirations to begin with apart from just wanting to get by. He bonds with Remy quickly because they relate to wanting to exceed expectations. Little did he think their dynamic bond would open the door for love before success. He and Collette become such a solid match they share the value of wanting to do anything they aspire to and they’re able to let their guard down given the intense environment. Janeane Garofalo makes her memorable because she’s fierce in the kitchen yet still assertive, hence having his back when everyone else realistically chose not to. Considering Linguini never imagined being part of such an environment, it makes sense there would be an unlikely balance of friends and enemies. Without question, Skinner is the true antagonist because Ian Holm portrays him to be one of the more opportunistic kind that wants to make easy money profiting off of something far from passionate. He visibly does not have the same passion as Gusteau or the staff combined which is why it feels odd why the will would be passed to him should there have not been an heir. It did seem like he got the last laugh by getting the restaurant closed, which is valid since rat infestations can still cause contaminations no matter how much they wash their hands. That didn’t really matter though because Remy got what he wanted by impressing the most imperious individual Paris has ever known. Portrayed by the iconic Peter O’Toole, Anton Ego is the kind of character you want to be intimidated of due to his pretentious approach. I don’t think he wants to be a guy with high standards, but he loves food so much that he can’t help doing so. He comes off gothic given the coffin design of his personal office because he is at a point where he doesn’t think he can ever have that nostalgic moment that made him love food in the first place. Seeing that happen is a peak moment for Pixar because it was that moment that proved anything is possible and he accepted it when he met Remy after. The fact Remy changed Ego’s perspective is the true victory and the fact they went into business together is an ending that would’ve made his idol proud, thus being so fitting he gets to do it with his friends. I love this movie a lot, but there are still so many things that confuse me upon rewatching. For example, how is there only one house in the area for Django’s colony to thrive on? If it’s that hard for them, they should’ve left to Paris sooner before Remy & Emile get caught. I can definitely say it’s overkill for the old lady to rely on a gun instead of a broom to kill the rats, but I’m more surprised not one rat brings up it was Remy who caused the chain reaction on accident and holds him accountable for it. I can believe Django wouldn’t do it because he’s just relieved his son is okay, but if no one else would because Emile didn’t say anything, that should be clarified. I can say it’s crazy odds Remy finds himself near Gusteau’s which ended up being also near Django’s colony considering how big Paris is supposed to be, but it’s totally on the whole staff for leaving the soup unchecked long enough for Linguini to mess it up. Even Remy pointed it out someone should’ve noticed and it’s crazy no one did until after he has to hide from them. Whoever was the saucier should be in as much trouble as the intent was for Linguini. And if this movie is set in the 21st century, there should be a damn camera in the restaurant even if this makes it hard for Remy to sneak in. Also since Skinner didn’t believe Linguini fixed the soup anyway, he should’ve just demanded the ingredients that he used rather than let him take the time to remake it. Moving on, were there actual dead rats on display or they actually dead? No one confirms it because the point is to convince Remy all humans are bad, but it’s odd he never double checks for his own interest. If even felt weird there wasn’t a moment Linguini showed worry when he loses his hat carrying/hiding Remy while having a motorcycle ride with Collette. It then makes no sense for Ego to warn Linguini of his return when he doubts he’ll be impressed. I mean if he doesn’t think that’s gonna happen, he should’ve just shown up unannounced. If you can ignore these things however, then you can still identify Ratatouille as a peak entry of Pixar’s catalog for being the most unconventional yet satisfying story of chasing dreams. If you’re seeking inspiration to do so, this’ll do it for you.