Based
on
the
novel
by
Richard
C.
Morais
and
adapted
by
Steven
Knight,
"The
Hundred-Foot
Journey" is
a
charmingly
frothy
fable
about
an
immigrant
family
and
their
endeavour
to
blend
in
a
foreign
land.
The
film
trails
restaurateur
Kadam's
Family
from
Mumbai.
During
a
political
unrest,
their
restaurant
is
destroyed,
his
wife
is
killed
and
they
are
forced
to
migrate.
They
seek
asylum
in
London.
And
since
their
business
was
not
doing
well
in
the
UK,
they
decide
to
shift
base
"anywhere
in
Europe".
It
is
while
driving
through
the
countryside
of
France
in
a
worn
out
van,
they
have
an
accident
and
they
stumble
upon
a
local,
Marguerite,
who
takes
them
over
to
her
place
in
the
quaint
village
of
Saint-
Antonin-Noble-Val.
En
route,
a
dilapidated
property
that
once
was
a
restaurant
catches
the
patriarch's
eye.
He
decides
this
is
where
he
would
want
his
family
to
settle
and
open
their
new
restaurant
-
Maison
Mumbai.
His
three
older
children
-
Hassan,
Mansoor,
and
Aesha,
-
coax
him
to
reconsider
his
decision
citing
that
the
French
don't
like
Indian
Cuisine
and
that
there
is
an
elite
Michelin
Star
restaurant
diagonally
opposite
their
property,
literally
hundred-feet
away.
But
Kadam
is
adamant.
So
as
a
last
resort,
Hassan
tells
his
father
to
speak
to
his
dead
wife,
to
that
he
retorts,
"She
said
the
brakes
failed
for
a
reason."
That
seals
their
fate.
The
Kadam's
set
up
their
garish
looking
restaurant
against
all
odds
only
to
find
their
prodigy
-
Chef
Hassan
-
has
a
different
set
of
goals.
And
it
is
his
journey
to
achieve
his
goal
that
forms
the
crux
of
the
film.
Om
Puri
as
the
father
is
his
usual
self,
sputtering
and
fuming
portraying
a
beleaguered
patriarch's
inner
life.
Helen
Mirren
as
Madame
Mallory,
the
snooty
French
woman
and
owner
of
the
Michelin
Star
restaurant,
excels
too.
But
it
is
Manish
Dayal
as
Hassan
and
Charlotte
Le
Bon
as
Marguerite,
who
outshine
the
seniors.
The
onscreen
chemistry
between
both
the
couples
-
Helen
and
Om
and
Manish
and
Charlotte
-
is
the
life
of
the
film.
It
is
the
evolution
of
Puri
and
Mirren's
characters;
from
adversaries
of
personal
and
nationalistic
pride,
to
respectful
rivals
who
share
common
characteristics,
which
represents
the
films
message
that
multicultural
harmony
can
be
achieved
through
an
embracement
of
cultures,
with
food
being
the
binding
factor.
Cinematographer
Linus
Sandgren's
photography
is
a
visual
delight,
capturing
the
natural
beauty
of
France
and
the
mundane
life
of
the
characters,
in
all
its
simplicity.
The
food
shots,
the
scenic
locales
and
the
flawlessly
moving
camera
work
that
captures
the
characters
in
their
stride
injects
an
adrenaline
boost
to
the
viewing
experience.
The
humour
and
rant
is
so
stereotype,
yet
fresh
in
its
approach.
While
the
title
as
well
as
the
setting
makes
a
good
allegory
for
the
narration
that
is
so
typical
of
Director
Lasse
Hallstrom,
the
theme
of
the
film
as
well
as
certain
scenes
remind
you
of
his
earlier
film
"Chocolat",
which
was
released
in
2000.
The
only
drawback
is
that
while
plot
is
sugary
sweet
and
engaging,
the
narrative
lacks
drama.