Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)A lot of people seem to be saying, "Don't watch this awful remake! Go watch Mostly Martha, the original!" I say, by all means, watch Mostly Martha, but don't bypass this version.
It's true that if I had watched this without having seen the original version, Mostly Martha, I would probably have liked it even better. This American version is really too close to the original, right down to the appearance of several characters (Leah, the sous-chef, for instance). For this reason, if you try to compare the two, it comes off as a half-hearted reproduction, Mostly Martha's reheated leftovers.
In many ways, it does lack some of the heart and depth of Mostly Martha. The characters are not as deep and intense, so their relationships aren't as meaningful to the audience. Kate is not quite as tightly wound as Martha, not quite as isolated--so her sudden inheritance of a child and the infringement of a stranger in her kitchen are less difficult and less meaningful. Zoe is much happier and lively than Lina ever is, and is not as scarred by her mother's death, so her struggle to accept Kate is again less meaningful. Nick, I felt, was outstanding--he was different from Mario, but equally effective. I actually preferred Nick, in fact, as I found Mario bordered on annoying at times, while Nick was more appealing all the way through (and Aaron Eckhart is certainly better looking!).
So why did I give it four stars? Well, I'm a sucker for a good romance. I feel that if I hadn't seen Mostly Martha, I would have given it four stars as a good romantic comedy. That is what is, and that is, I think, all it tries to be. It is fun to watch, the characters are sympathetic, the acting is excellent, the chemistry between Zeta-Jones and Eckhart is wonderful, and the plot is engaging, if predictable.
I also don't mean to say that No Reservations loses all the heart of Mostly Martha. I think it retains it pretty well, while simply lightening up the plot a little. Overall, I actually prefer this version in many ways. I preferred the story without the presence of Lina's father, who to me interrupted the story considerably in Mostly Martha. And if the characters here are a little less intense, they were easier to relate to, for me at least. I found the romance between the leads more convincing here, and the ending considerably more satisfying than Mostly Martha's. Kate and Nick, by the end, actually seemed a little more human than Martha and Mario ever did, and if the ending is predictable...well, some of us like happy endings!
No Reservations may not fill you up with emotion like Mostly Martha, so don't coming looking for a full-course meal. This a essentially romantic comedy, the soufflés of the movie world: light and fluffy and delicious.
Click Here to see more reviews about: No Reservations (2007)
A perfectionist chef addicted to her work struggles to adjust when her sister passes away leaving her with a little girl to raise and a new soup-chef threatens to take over her kitchen with his high-spirited and free-wheeling ways.
Click here for more information about No Reservations (2007)
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