If The Menu was made fifty years earlier, it would’ve starred Vincent Price. It is kindred spirits with classic Price vehicles like The Mad Magician and (especially) Theater of Blood. It is a story about how someone in the public eye (in this case, a world renown chef) finally snaps and goes after his critics, patrons, and the scummy rich with a vengeance. It’s not overly horrific or anything, but it has a wicked sense of black humor that I’m sure Price would’ve appreciated.
Ralph Fiennes stars as the chef, who lures his high-paying customers to his remote island restaurant with the promise of a meal they won’t forget. He is clearly relishing the chance to chew the scenery (this review is going to have a lot of food puns, fair warning). Fiennes doesn’t go over the top or anything, but the twinkle in his eye while he dishes out his revenge says it all.
At its heart, The Menu is a movie about class warfare. Food has always been an apt metaphor in these kinds of films. While some of it is a bit on the nose and/or predictable, director Mark Mylod never steps false once, and serves up each shock and surprise with panache.
Fiennes gives a delicious performance, but Anya Taylor-Joy is every bit his match as a customer who finds herself at the wrong restaurant at the wrong time. The other assorted customers are a lot of fun to watch as well. Nicholas Hoult is appropriately smarmy as an obsessive foodie, Janet McTeer is aces as a snobby food critic, and John Leguizamo looks to be having a blast playing a washed-up movie star. Hon Chau is also quite intimidating as the head server who knows how to keep her customers in line.
If you’ve ever worked in the service industry, you’ll feel some moments of painful recognition here. As one such person, I got a kick out of seeing chefs and servers giving their annoying customers their just desserts. I haven’t applauded during a film in a long time, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t clap when Fiennes screamed, “NO FUCKING SUBSTITUTIONS!”
For a brief, shining moment, I felt seen.
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