Julie & Julia, 2009

Julie & Julia, 2009

(Netflix)

Two women, Julia Child & Julie Powell, and their passion towards food, this is a story reflecting their firm belief in themselves and their extremely loving husbands. This story isn’t just about them, it has parts of all of us.

After an exhausting Saturday, I couldn't keep my hands away from the remote, to watch a movie. I went with Netflix's suggestion of watching Julie and Julia. It isn't every day you find Meryl Streep saving your life at midnight.

But before I plunge into the joy this movie has brought into my life, I want to ask a question. Is it just me, or Meryl Streep does sway everybody virtually into a world of her characters?

Every role of hers is so inspiring, it either brings more confidence or clarity, into my life. The conviction with which she performs sets the bar of wittiness too high for anyone else to achieve.

Well, the story begins with a 1950 Buick Roadmaster falling from the sky. Paul Child, Julia's husband is a diplomat and has been transferred to Paris on an assignment. They are fond of each other and their relationship has so much for us to learn from.

While this is happening in the late '90s in Paris, a young couple is moving to Queens in 2002. Julie and Eric Powell have just moved into an apartment above a Pizzeria. Julie is not at all happy about the change and is having acclimatizing issues.

Julia Child soon discovers how much she enjoys eating food in Paris. Her expressions flow from the gut and the sound of her "Bon Appétit", I am sure Meryl's got a patent for that one.

Her journey transpires through emotional ups and downs, of wanting to become a mother, to be able to join cooking classes, and hurdles to get her book published.

Julie on the other hand vents out a bad day by cooking a pie, and amazing savoury dishes for her husband and herself. The movie successfully shows the parallelism between the timelines of these two amazing COOKS.

While Julia enjoyed eating and Julie enjoyed cooking from the beginning, both seem to resolve their life issues by cooking or shall I say by setting a target. The decision to overcome every hurdle comes what may. The ability to choose what's important over what is urgent.

Julia loved Paris, but she knew if she had to leave, she wasn't worried about missing the food, memories, streets, and more food she could have eaten. Instead, she was more concerned about how that change would impact her resolve to get the book completed. The clarity, amidst things falling apart, is highly appreciated.

Amongst complications in their lives, like while Julia's husband is being interrogated, I love how they treat every problem as a regular task behind and ahead of them. They are focused, but not glaringly attentive to feminism, or human activism.

Julia and Julie seem to have some self-centered and bragging friends in their respective social circles. Yet they never withdrew on compassion, or targeted friends to vent out their frustration. They are kind, assertive in their way, which does add to their confidence and unapologetic attitude, just like Julia says "never apologize."

CELEBRATIONS AND FAMILY~ Some of us have the feeling of being black sheep in our respective families. The idea of agreeing to disagree was born with people like us. We know how to learn from their comments, we know how to acknowledge their ideas and accept their nay, with an attempt at persuasion, and then a sigh. Julia's father and Julie's mother have a voiceful impact on their lives too.

Food might be the Hero and Julia and Julie Heroines but the real protagonists are none other than Paul and Eric.

They set the bar high for men who are partners or yet to be. They are understanding but are not venting machines. They have solutions but aren't a punching bag of distress. They dance to their partner's success before they clap. They question their wives when they find them lost. Paul was the one who asked Julia what did she like doing? to which Julia had an unfiltered reply of I like eating!

While Julie finds herself encountering self-doubt and pity, Eric has a befitting reply to her self-made misery, do not get carried away! He reminds Julie how Julia was an inspiration but it was she who saved herself.

Throwing light on the fact that idols and role models are meant to add fuel to our fire, the fire is already within us.

The role of partners is to be themselves and walk along, it isn't about the flaws or their past issues and their worries about the future. The role is to just be together with each other at the moment. They add dimension, a perspective, they aren't gambling dice to get you more bucks nor are they ladder to the greener side of the world.

This biographical drama-comedy has touched me like none ever have. Julie and Julia will always have a special place in my heart. The aroma of Julia Child’s recipes and Julie Powell’s execution of those have left an immutable joy in my life. Meryl Streep’s coruscating, determined and iconic execution has once again left me speechless. Amy Adams's role of young Julie is one of the best candid characters I have come across.

It’s difficult to find the right words to end this piece. When Julia first faced rejection at the hands of a publishing house, she recalled why she had started. She had started to finish writing a book in the first place. So she decided it’s better she got back to it and then looked for publishers. Thus I recall why I wrote this piece, and it was to share the tornado of words in my head with all of you and get back to studying for my test.

Bon Appétit!