For those aware of French cinema during the '70s and '80s, Pierre Richard is a familiar figure. He was the lanky comic actor with flowing curly hair who deadpanned his way through "The Tall Blond Man With One Black Shoe" (and its sequel).
Richard later teamed up with Gerard Depardieu for another pair of international hits, "La Chevre" and "Les Comperes" (the latter being the basis for the Robin Williams-Billy Crystal farce "Father's Day").
But even those who know his earlier work will be hard-pressed to recognize Richard in "A Chef in Love." He's older, heavier and grayer, with a big beard to match his big hair. And he's no low-key simpleton here — he's a robust Anthony Quinn-type character.
Richard's charm and twinkling eyes give him away, however, and he manages to give a lift to "A Chef in Love," an otherwise half-baked comedy-drama.
And as if to purposely broaden the international focus of movies about food, a la "Big Night," "Like Water for Chocolate," "Tampopo" and "Babette's Feast," "A Chef in Love" also lovingly photographs luxurious feasts (which can only serve to make audience members wish they had something in their laps other than stale popcorn and Coke without enough syrup).
Richard plays a Frenchman named Pascal, a romantic, globe-trotting gourmet cook who falls in love with a younger woman in the Republic of Georgia during the 1920s and opens a popular restaurant there. Ultimately, however, his lifestyle will be thwarted by the Russian Revolution.
Pascal meets Princess Cecilia (Nino Kirtadze) when they share a compartment on a train traveling through Georgia. They fall in love, despite their vast age difference.
During their stay, Pascal and Cecilia attend a concert and find themselves sitting near the new Georgian president. Pascal's amazing sense of smell helps save the president's life (don't ask), which leads to Pascal opening a French restaurant in Tbilsi.
There, Pascal is content to whip up amazing dishes and continue his passionate relationship with Cecilia. But when the Russian Revolution spills over into Georgia, they find themselves confronted by an officer bent on revenge.
Cecilia is forced to marry the brutish Bolshevik, but Pascal stubbornly refuses to flee the country, which leads to his downfall.
And as Pascal becomes a suffering martyr and the movie's tone shifts from humorous exuberance to morose melodrama, its entertainment value drops off accordingly.
Even more pointless and cumbersome, however, is the film's wraparound device, which relates the story in flashbacks as Cecilia's adult son reads the unpublished autobiography of Pascal, which is in the possession of Pascal's cigar-smoking niece.
What ultimately saves the film, however, is Richard, who delivers an utterly delightful performance. Kirtadze is also quite good, but there's no denying that this is Richard's film all the way.
"A Chef in Love" is rated PG-13, but it's pretty raunchy, with sex, nudity and profanity, as well as violence and a rape scene.