by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
B Rated PG 105 min.
This remake of the 2001 German, Mostly Martha, stayed true to the original screenplay written by Sandra Nettelbeck, making it the same film, only spoken in English. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart play the lead roles of Kate and Nick, with Abigail Breslin playing the young Zoe. In the past, remakes were done after a number of years had passed. Now, the time frame of shooting a remake has been greatly reduced. Subtitled films like Mostly Martha draw few viewers, so a remake is a safe bet.
The premise involves Master Chef, Kate (Zeta-Jones), whose life is turned upside down when her sister is killed in a car accident and her 8-year old niece Zoe is left in her care. Kate is completely unprepared to be a step-mother to her niece. She takes Zoe to work at the restaurant where she is head chef, trying to keep the kid busy and out of the way.
For Kate, dealing with Zoe is a stressful problem, but she does the best she can. Her boss hires a sous chef, Nick (Aaron Eckert), without telling her. Now, not only does she have to cope with being a step-mother to Zoe, but she has to adjust to working with another chef. Yes, Kate is stressed out by the sudden turn of events. Unaccustomed to working with another chef, she clashes with Nick right away. However, her boss is patient with her, even when she tells customers off for sending meat back that is not rare enough.
Viewers can easily predict where this story is going, but it’s fun getting there. Zeta-Jones showcases her acting chops with skillful verve. She characterizes Kate as a driven, type-A personality with boundless energy to work long hours in the kitchen creating her culinary masterpieces.
Being a guardian to Zoe is a major distraction and it is exacerbated by her stormy relationship with Nick. Of course, there are underlying sparks in their relationship that will ignite a passionate romance, but in the kitchen, Kate doesn’t recognize she is falling for Nick. Everything he does annoys her, but she can’t deny they have explosive chemistry together.
The hook of Nettelbeck’s script is Kate’s ability to adjust to rapidly changing situations in her life. From first the appearance of Zoe to contending with Nick at work, it’s fun watching Kate juggle her life with Zoe and find romance in the hectic world of the restaurant life. As anyone who has ever worked as a chef in a restaurant knows, it’s an all-consuming job.
Whereas Nettelbeck wrote and directed Mostly Marsha, Scott Hicks directed this remake, with Carol Fuch’s script-doctoring, making subtle changes for American audiences. Hick’s direction is different than Nettelbeck’s, but he gave the actors leeway to interpret the characters. Zeta-Jones captures Kate’s dilemma effectively as she struggles to adjust to the radical changes in her life and her sorrow at losing her sister. When you are caught in a whirlpool, it’s hard to think rationally.
In Kate’s case, the demands of her job do not allow her to properly grieve for her sister, that, compounded by her responsibility to Zoe, have left Kate in a neurotic state with confused emotions. Zeta-Jones plays Kate’s emotional turmoil brilliantly and with a great sense of comedic timing. Eckert plays off Zeta-Jones’ energy with zealous acting skill. Nick gets off on Kate’s befuddlement, and he tries to quell her fears.
In this tumultuous situation, love blooms. Zoe is a bright little girl who, like all smart girls, manipulates her new step-mom. Of course, the sudden tragic death of Kate’s sister set off this chain of events in which Kate has had to adjust. As Kate gradually gets a grip on herself, life starts to settle down to a new routine. It’s a fun ride for viewers to experience Kate’s life changes and a new angle on an uplifting romantic comedy.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
