Knee-jerk review: "The Menu"

1. The trailers certainly suggested the possibility of cannibalism.  (Remember the old "To Serve Man" episode of The Twilight Zone?  It wasn't a book about helping humanity, you see - it was a cookbook.  Sorry about the spoiler, but by now a 1960s TV show is fair game.) But the movie is much more nuanced and political than that. 
2. This Ralph Fiennes guy is a pretty good actor.
3. The plot gets a little sloppy and loose at times, but this is a film steeped in Big Ideas and Important Themes.  We mean that as a compliment.  Horror (and sci-fi) like this always offers a powerful way to critique culture and satirize the powers that be.
4. There are a lot of villains here, from the self-important critic who delights in criticizing the hard work of others, the sycophant who breathlessly validates anything his boss says and refuses to mutter a single contradictory statement, the finance bros proudly embezzling money for an off-short account, the creepy father whose sexual deviancy may have pushed his daughter to suicide.  The list goes on.  The one thing these people all have in common is that they're part of the 1%, upper class royalty who are never satisfied and never hear the word "no."  They're ripe for a comeuppance.
5. Don't mess with Elsa.
6. Perhaps the most overt element of satire is the way the restaurant staff (and especially the unctuous sommelier) describe the courses with over the top explanations and breathless importance.  It's all so hilariously pretentious.  And likely familiar to anyone who's watched a show on the Food Network.
7. The same sort of thing happens, of course, with any art.  Whether it's film or music or literature, there are always drawing room snobs who enjoy proving their intellectual bona fides with obscure, niche references and fancy, high-brow opinions.
8. If you ever eat at Hawthorne, be very wary of the tortillas.
9. Added into this mix is the idea of how the world is divided between those who create art and those who consume and critique that art. 
10. There's a lot going on in this movie.
11. Our favorite moment comes with one of the more pretentious foodies gets the chance to cook something.  He may have consumed countless blogs and books and TV shows about cooking, but he's completely clueless in the kitchen.
12. We agree with the idea here that there's not many things more satisfying than a greasy cheeseburger.
13. Anya Taylor-Joy is so very odd looking, yet also undeniably beautiful at the same time.  She definitely commands your attention.  Her scenes with Fiennes crackle.
14. We never really thought about the perspective of the five-star celebrity chef.  Are chefs happy making elaborate, complicated dishes for the insufferable wealthy (who may not even appreciate their hard work aside from the social status it provides)?
15. "Don't eat. Taste. Savor. Relish."
16. This seems to be director Mark Mylod's first feature film after spending years directing and producing television.  It's a strong debut.
17. If smoking kills your palate, then why do so many kitchen workers chain smoke?
18. 100% fantastic.

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