Hunger

A very well done Thai drama/thriller with the right ingredients. I love movies about cooking. They have been on the rise lately, but each one is unique and engaging in some way. Hunger is a bit of a combination of Whiplash and The Menu, which was pretty fitting for me. I wouldn't compare it to Boiling Point or The Bear, which are more about showing hectic shifts, this is a regular zero to hero genre film set in a kitchen. The protagonist is a likeable young chef who cooks in the family business and is offered a job in a fancy modern restaurant ruled by a ruthless and famous chef. Since she wants to be special she takes the offer, only she has no idea that she will hit her rock bottom there. I found the opening quite intense. The chef is, in short, a ruthless bastard whose mental pressure is simply unbearable, anyone would have mentally collapsed, fallen apart. The protagonist has some unpleasant moments, and all the confrontations with the chef who plays the bad guy are awesome and have great performances. The Thai setting, the culture, and Thai food adds a lot to the film, making it a little different than the American ones, and again I liked that. In terms of craftsmanship, the film is very well done by Thai standards, and there’s a surprise twist in the second half where the main character makes an interesting decision. The finale was also good, with have Protege vs Sensei in an interesting culinary duel backed up with attractive visuals and a nice message where love and family is stronger than fame, pride, mania and obsession. 8/10. (04/13/2023)