Julie and Julia

Not one, but TWO happily married couples! That's gotta be a record for Hollywood, isn't it?

Based on two books ("My Life in France" by Julia Child and "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell), this wonderfully funny script is written and directed by Nora Ephram ("You've Got Mail," "Sleepless in Seattle" and "When Harry Met Sally"). The casting is brilliant because Meryl Streep ("Momma Mia" and "Doubt") is the only actress working today who can nail Ms. Child's unique vocal qualities―although you will agree that Dan Aykroyd comes close. Yes, that famous Saturday Night Live sketch is included! Stanley Tucci ("Swing Vote") is her ever-lovin' (but much shorter) husband Paul, and Jane Lynch ("Best in Show" and "Role Models") is her equally tall sister Dorothy, come to France from their home town of Pasadena, in search of a husband. Neither of the aforementioned actresses is particularly tall, so some clever camera work is used to make them seem that way.

We are treated to many delightfully entertaining scenes of a happy, lusty couple in post-war France: Julia is a perpetually upbeat and energetic wife, while Paul is a government functionary stationed at the American Embassy. Being an easily bored American, Julia starts to investigate possible hobbies: Hat making? Nah... Playing bridge? Nah... Cooking? Maybe.... But the Cordon Bleu definitely does NOT want a woman, especially an AMERICAN woman, enrolled there. Former Seattle actress Linda Emond ("Across the Universe") has a plum role as Child's first book collaborator.

Bringing sweetness and desperation on a parallel track is Amy Adams ("Sunshine Cleaning" and "Enchanted"), a contemporary young woman who toils in a cubicle taking post-9/11 calls for a New York City agency. She has a tendency to abandon anything she starts, so when she sets herself the ambitious goal of cooking all the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook within a year (over 500 of them!), neither her husband nor her mother expect much. The studio tagline is: "Passion. Ambition. Butter. Do You Have What It Takes?"

The audience laughed out loud repeatedly and I joined them! This is a diverting and information-filled (you'll pick up a few pointers about cooking) bit of entertainment that will leave you smiling (although I STILL don't want to cook a live lobster or de-bone a duck!).