Directed by Mark Mylod
Written by Seth Reiss, Will Tracy
Starring Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong/disturbing violent content, language throughout and some sexual references.
Runtime: 106 minutes

by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

Has someone ever belittled you in a room full of people because they didn’t like the way a meal was prepared? Have you ever had an adult question your intelligence because they ordered the wrong thing? Nothing shows the entitlement and lack of empathy that exists in the world like working in the service industry. It’s a formative experience. One can never truly understand the degradation, humiliation, and burnout of customer service unless they have been there themselves. Too much labor is done by those who are underpaid and undervalued and it is too easy for those being served to forget how a little human decency goes a long way. If you’ve had these experiences, then The Menu is sure to be a savory meal. It is an experience that allows those who have worked in the industry get some hearty laughs and a hefty dose of revenge.

Much like the dishes that Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) serves up throughout The Menu, this movie is complex, fresh and something to be savored. It is layered with commentary and jabs at many of the elite who one could find at a high class restaurant. From finance bros, to old money, to aging film stars, to those who are simply raised elite, The Menu is here to shove their privilege right back in their face. Plenty of late stage capitalism horror stories have found an easy villain in the rich and powerful. Movies like Ready or Not, Snowpiercer, The Purge franchise, and others have all taken a bite out of the wealthy. Yet The Menu is very specific in its focus on the culture around the high end restaurant industry and the huge wealth gap between the guests and the employees.

As Chef Slowik reminds us, food has always been a symbol of class warfare. For example, bread has historically been the food of the poor. Flour and water are an easy combination for those who could not afford meats, cheeses, or other delicacies. So the restaurant, with all its toxicity, patriarchal culture, and food apartheid, is a perfect venue to explore all that is delicious and inequitable. There are few heroes to be found in the world of The Menu, and it is a stark reminder that all who benefit from white supremacist culture, whether they mean to or not, are responsible in upholding the status quo. Through its beautiful set design, cinematography, and perfectly plated food we hone in on a beautifully rotten way of living.

Much of the buy-in of the movie relies on its stellar performances. From the side of the guests, you have Janet McTeer playing a restaurant critic that everyone in the biz hopes to please. Her arrogance and the way she uses her pen to wield power is a reminder of the harm that words can cause. Nicholas Hoult plays the Instagram foodie who can talk like a chef but is too busy taking pictures of his food to do much of the work. Arturo Castro is so believable as the aggressively straight finance bro that you almost forget he plays the iconic queer roommate in Broad City. Then you have Ralph Fiennes, who manages to deliver a heartbreaking monologue alongside a relatable, yet hilarious, tale of the importance of a day off. Hong Chau manages to be one of the most accommodating yet terrifying hosts any restaurant has ever had. And a special shout out to Christina Brucato as a sous chef whose scenes are some of the most memorable parts of the movie.

While The Menu is effective at damning some and empathizing with others, it manages to tow the line between poignant social commentary and laugh out loud moments. It’s impressive to watch a movie that can go from an impassioned discussion about the tipping point where your passion becomes just a thankless job to a scene in which mediocre men are forced to run for their lives while kitchen staff swiftly chase after them. It is a reminder that sometimes, in the face of real life horror like capitalism, sexual assault, harassment, and loss of passion, all we can do is laugh through the pain.

While Pig took on food culture in a much more serious and heartbreaking light last year, The Menu chooses a biting comedic tone to damn this broken industry. It has similar themes around holding onto our passions, and the meaning behind art and creation, but it also serves up the satisfying experience of watching the privileged get what’s coming to them. This is clearly a great venue for films in general but it is a delicious entry into the gastro-horror subgenre. If you are looking for a wicked yet fun viewing experience before the holiday horrors swoop in, there is no better choice than The Menu.