Ratatouille (2007)

Ratatouille

Written & Directed by Brad Bird

Accompanying Short: Lifted

Written & Directed by Gary Rydstrom

One of the first things I remember about Ratatouille was its trailer, premiering in front of the release of Cars. I found the trailer memorable for one reason: due to the strangeness of the title, it had to be spelled phonetically for kids (well, adults too, I suppose): rat-a-too-ee. I don’t know why this image is burned into my brain, but it is. It would take me seven years before I finally saw this film (spurred, in part, by my friend Jahan telling me that it is his favorite of the Pixar films (to which I recall responding “…really?”)), and this viewing reminded me that, while not my top favorite, I enjoy this film more than I generally give it credit for.

As a Trainer, this image is TOO REAL

In front of Ratatouille was Lifted, a fun little short about an alien taking a test on abducting humans. As a Lead (and former Trainer), this whole short definitely reminded me of giving Performance Assessments for new Cast Members, watching them struggle to remember all the little details we’ve thrown at them in five days (or less). Obviously this is an exaggeration of how we do it (I HOPE), but it was still funny nonetheless. I enjoy slapstick-style humor, so watching what happens to the human was pretty dang funny. It also points out a real issue: if aliens are real (which I believe they are), and they’re abducting people (which I believe they aren’t), then they have to learn somewhere, right? I highly doubt they’re born with the knowledge about how to abduct people, but they are aliens, so maybe they are, and SOMEONE HELP ME I’M OVERTHINKING AGAIN.

This is a completely bonkers idea

As a whole, Ratatouille is a fun film, centered on an absurd premise: Remy, a rat in France, has a passion for food that goes above and beyond his fellow rodents. He winds up in Paris and, through a series of events, ends up partnering in secret with the (unknown) heir to a restaurant to help him cook, which he does by using HIS HAIR TO CONTROL HIM LIKE A MARIONETTE. As I said, it’s absurd. Yet, it WORKS. I think having the characters acknowledge just how bonkers the concept is really helps sell it, because otherwise I don’t think it’d be as successful.

The art direction in the film is gorgeous, with a beautifully romantic view of Paris being showcased…if this film doesn’t make you want to move to Paris, then I don’t know what will. Additionally, the food is animated wonderfully, and there is some fun abstract art that occurs when Remy describes how food makes him feel. I wish this film was able to be released with scents (like Soarin’), because smelling the different food that is showcased would be an excellent addition (and, at a movie theater, would be a guaranteed way to drive concession sales!). The characters all have a unique, stylized design that isn’t awful…I suppose I would have preferred that the more extreme examples looked more like real people, but it is a cartoon, after all.

This looks SO romantic!

Linguini & Colette in an unnecessary subplot

Of the characters, it might be Linguini that I dislike the most. It’s not that he’s bad, it’s that he’s bad at everything he does ALL THE TIME. Only at the very end of the film do we see him actually doing anything without causing destruction in his wake, and that’s just him being a waiter. Also, in a film in which everyone is French, why does Linguini have an American accent? Yes, the other French accents are varied in their success, but at least everyone else HAS one. Linguini is the sole (human) exception (come to think of it, all the rats are American too…I wonder why that is). Also, I do take slight issue with the fact that Colette seems to fall for him out of nowhere, and for no reason: their romance does not really advance the plot, and actually stops it dead at one point. I like her as a character, but the romantic subplot I could have done without (there is also a subplot of chef Skinner attempting to prove that Linguini is in league with a rat which kinda goes somewhere, but not enough for the payoff it gets).

One of my favorite elements is the score, composed by Michael Giacchino. It includes the beautiful song “Le Festin”, performed by French artist Camille, and it just SOUNDS like Paris! The score is jaunty and relaxing…the type of music I would want playing in a fancy restaurant while I partook in a delicious meal.

It’s sometimes a shame that gems like Ratatouille are outshone by the Big Franchises of the Pixar Lineup (Toy Story and Cars, mainly, but Nemo and Incredibles can be included too). It’s a great film, but I think it’s sometimes neglected in people’s minds in favor of those other, more “well-known” films. This is a film that teaches that not only can anyone cook, but that, if given the chance, we can all rise to be better than what the rest of the world thinks we are, and THAT is a great message.

SHORT GRADE: A

FILM GRADE: A-