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Ratatouille (2007)

Director: Brad Bird

Critics' rating

Average user rating

60 reviews

Synopsis

There's a rat in the kitchen in this Disney film.

Movie review

From Time Out New York

Yuck. To be more specific, barf. That reaction is, one suspects, just what the hundreds of genius animators over at Pixar have secretly feared regarding Ratatouille, their highly polished latest. In it, a pink-tailed gourmand (Oswalt, channeling Sideways’ Paul Giamatti) dreams of leaving the gutter behind and preparing meals in a fancy Paris restaurant. He gets his wish, bringing along swarms of furry friends who emerge from the steam washer ready to handle cheese, spices and vegetables. Pardon me if I don’t find that so appealing. New Yorkers probably remember the viral version of this movie, filmed outside a West Village KFC last February. Cute wasn’t the word that came to mind.

Those of a more metaphorical bent will insist that Ratatouille is a discrimination tale—and it is, provided you forget that there are good reasons to discriminate against rats in the forum of food preparation. Director Brad Bird (one of the few in animation worth singling out) pursued a similar strain in The Incredibles, also about the persecution of excellence. But he’s done a much more muddled job this time, pitting admirably high-toned—even pro-French!—ideas about cooking and food criticism against the sheer ick factor. Ratatouille is a film made for snobs that may still repel them.

Author: Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out New York

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User reviews of this film

Richie said...

Posted on Aug 26 2008 07:59 This review has got to be a joke...

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leds said...

Posted on May 06 2008 15:05 This movie rocked. Who ever wrote that review should be fired on the spot! And seriously what is with the "pro-French" comment? WTF?!

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Daryl said...

Posted on May 06 2008 10:39 Well, firstly I don't agree that this is the BEST Pixar film - Finding Nemo and the Incredibles both are better to me. However, it is far and wide better and more intelliegent than 90% of the other films (not animated films, films in general) that were released last year. Ick? Yuck? Isn't the problem with rats that they're dirty? Remy does all he can to keep himself clean. He wants to escape the discrimination and practice his talent that he truly loves. Yes Mr. fillm reviewer, there IS a metaphorical bent on the film. Rats were used to show that its not because of how a person LOOKS that defines how the person/thing should be treated, but who they are inside. If the reviewer can't see that well......they're no better than the snobs that turn up their noses without truly caring what they are ignoring. This is a film with heart, and deserves a better review.

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Randy said...

Posted on May 03 2008 01:22 "No rat turds were laid in the making of this film." The review, however, is a different story. The movie is about following an interest despite the incredible probability of failure. The critic should consider becoming a health inspector, for that is where his real interest lies, and he would probably be more skilled at that than at writing.

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hello jello said...

Posted on Apr 20 2008 11:38 great movie. worst review ever. straight to the point and true. this movie and it's director was amazing, no matter what this reviewer wanna-be says. Ick??? you've got to be kidding me!!!

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Mark said...

Posted on Apr 16 2008 09:03 I am delighted to have finally found a negative review of this appalling film. I had such high hopes for Ratatouille and was incredibly disappointed. It wasn't so much the idea of rats preparing food, about which I have to agree with Rothkopf; it's not a good concept and it's more than a little disgusting. It was more the interminable lack of humour and wit that sank this film. Linguini is as irritating as Remy is grating. The rat clan would be an unwelcome distraction from the plot if there was an interesting one to be found. Ratatouille is an overlong, uninspired bore of a film. I thought Pixar made a bit of a misstep with Cars but they've wandered off the path completely here. Thankfully Wall-E looks like it has an excellent chance of atoning for these sins

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CD said...

Posted on Mar 31 2008 08:15 For god sake people! its an animated film about rats, these comments about what diseases rats carry!...its a cartoon film!!!!!
I thought it was highly entertaining.

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Babsie said...

Posted on Mar 30 2008 15:16 I have just seen this film, on a friend's recommendation, and loved it! It really captures France and the Critic Ego was my favourite character. The comments made by Joshua re "pro-france" are unbelievable. What a git!

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Andrew said...

Posted on Mar 16 2008 17:16 I didn't like the movie all that much but your review was TERRIBLE.
It was a bad movie because it was icky? Are you retarded? Are you incapable of analyzing narrative and direction? Isn't that the only use you film critics have?
But you aren't a real film critic are you? I didn't think so.
Go... be an accountant or something.
Epic fail.

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Mike said...

Posted on Feb 26 2008 09:59 It seems sort-of good at first, but then compare it to its big brother The Incredibles...

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S said...

Posted on Jan 11 2008 08:03 Ratatouille was a breakthrough, and as others have pointed out, I am appalled by the lack of detail and justification in this review.

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Joe Schindler said...

Posted on Dec 07 2007 12:03 Ahh...critics...making themselves fee important by putting something down. As a person who is part owner in a very successful winery, I know this too well. Anyone who even mentions this movie as "yuck" obviously has no imagination...and should really consider what ego (great name for a critic by the way) is saying at the end. This movie is fantastic. I have seen it three times...something I never do. Loved it! the side story between the father and son was great too.

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Dee said...

Posted on Aug 20 2007 06:53 My husband, who does not like animated films very much, thought this movie was great. As he said, it does not make you hungry as did the movie with Mike Doughlas's wife. The animation was terrific, the lines were delivered with ease, and it is an enjoyable movie.

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LOL! said...

Posted on Jul 29 2007 19:41 This movie absolutely ROCKED!!!!
Whoever did this review obviously MISSED THE BLOODY POINT. The film is NOT suggesting that we hire rats in our kitchens. The rats in this movie represented a certain aspect of HUMAN nature.
And honestly, WTF was with that "Pro-French" comment?

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Beth said...

Posted on Jul 22 2007 10:28 Bravo! The review is right on target and courageous. We were convinced to see the film by the generally rapturous reviews.We should have listened to TONY. Swarming rats are disgusting and all the more so when situated in a kitchen. We were viscerally repelled by the sight of realistic-looking rats involved with food preparation. These were not the appealing, anthropomorphic animated mice of Cinderella; these were the same RODENTS that closed Taco Bell because they spread DISEASE! ICK! ICK! ICK!
Furthermore, the hero, Linguini, was a totally
uninteresting character. He stumbled through the movie with virtually no growth as a character. Lackluster plot.
Great animated rendition of the La Cornue range and the rest of the kitchen, however!

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