A Fascinating Film
Added 2/16/2009
"A Matter of Taste"
A Fascinating Film
Amos Lassen
There is something about a French film. The French seem to know how to make an audience think and that is certainly true if "A Matter of Taste". Nicholas, a young waiter, at a first class restaurant is spotted by millionaire, Frederic Delamont, who offers him a job to be his taster. It is Nicholas's job to taste all the food that his boss is to eat especially since he can't eat fish or cheese. The relationship between the two men, however, deepens as Delamont begins to obsess about Nicholas and tries to control his life and begins to give him all kinds of gifts. Nicholas has no idea what is really going on as he is being manipulated by his employer. At first it is merely an issue of money but as things progress, Nicholas falls prey to Delamont even though his relationship with his girlfriend is being destroyed.
The film is a psychological study of identity and power which falls into madness to a degree as Delamont tries to mold Nicholas to be just like him. Delamont is a dark person who seems to exude an unhealthy presence but he tries to cover that up with wealth and power. He was not looking for a taster but rather for someone that he could control for his own pleasure. He is a finely drawn character as opposed to Nicholas who appears at first to be in total control of himself but who bends in the face of authority. He does not come across as a realistic character and he seems to ride along with the plot. He even stays with his boss after he is given a case of food poisoning.
The quality of the film is excellent--the cinematography is crystal clear. The story was created by Bernard Rapp and his direction is fine.
As Delamont, Bernard Giraudeau is excellent and the way he exercises control over Nicholas is totally believable. This is an unconventional movie with an excellent script and good actin
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A Fascinating Film
Added 2/16/2009
"A Matter of Taste"
A Fascinating Film
Amos Lassen
There is something about a French film. The French seem to know how to make an audience think and that is certainly true if "A Matter of Taste". Nicholas, a young waiter, at a first class restaurant is spotted by millionaire, Frederic Delamont, who offers him a job to be his taster. It is Nicholas's job to taste all the food that his boss is to eat especially since he can't eat fish or cheese. The relationship between the two men, however, deepens as Delamont begins to obsess about Nicholas and tries to control his life and begins to give him all kinds of gifts. Nicholas has no idea what is really going on as he is being manipulated by his employer. At first it is merely an issue of money but as things progress, Nicholas falls prey to Delamont even though his relationship with his girlfriend is being destroyed.
The film is a psychological study of identity and power which falls into madness to a degree as Delamont tries to mold Nicholas to be just like him. Delamont is a dark person who seems to exude an unhealthy presence but he tries to cover that up with wealth and power. He was not looking for a taster but rather for someone that he could control for his own pleasure. He is a finely drawn character as opposed to Nicholas who appears at first to be in total control of himself but who bends in the face of authority. He does not come across as a realistic character and he seems to ride along with the plot. He even stays with his boss after he is given a case of food poisoning.
The quality of the film is excellent--the cinematography is crystal clear. The story was created by Bernard Rapp and his direction is fine.
As Delamont, Bernard Giraudeau is excellent and the way he exercises control over Nicholas is totally believable. This is an unconventional movie with an excellent script and good acting.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Taste of Fear
Added 1/11/2007
Hitchcock would have loved this psychological thriller about a young man whose life is taken over by the wealthy businessman who hires him as his professional food taster.
0 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Intelligent
Added 8/16/2004
Intelligent dialogues. Might be slightly slow for the american standards but the subtility of Bernard Rapp's way of observing human behaviour is very interesting and well filmed. Gireaudeau is excellent as often.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Film Festival Fare
Added 10/2/2002
This movie played at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2001 and I happened to catch it. The plot follows a wealthy, powerful business man and the waiter he hires to become his food taster. A strange premise, but I thought, rife with possibilities. Sexual undertones are suggested and a power struggle ensues as the employer tries to involve his new employee in increasingly bizarre activites. Overall, an enjoyable movie, but definitely film festival fare. The version I saw was French with English subtitles.
4 out of 5 people found this helpful.
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A Fascinating Film
Added 2/16/2009
"A Matter of Taste"
A Fascinating Film
Amos Lassen
There is something about a French film. The French seem to know how to make an audience think and that is certainly true if "A Matter of Taste". Nicholas, a young waiter, at a first class restaurant is spotted by millionaire, Frederic Delamont, who offers him a job to be his taster. It is Nicholas's job to taste all the food that his boss is to eat especially since he can't eat fish or cheese. The relationship between the two men, however, deepens as Delamont begins to obsess about Nicholas and tries to control his life and begins to give him all kinds of gifts. Nicholas has no idea what is really going on as he is being manipulated by his employer. At first it is merely an issue of money but as things progress, Nicholas falls prey to Delamont even though his relationship with his girlfriend is being destroyed.
The film is a psychological study of identity and power which falls into madness to a degree as Delamont tries to mold Nicholas to be just like him. Delamont is a dark person who seems to exude an unhealthy presence but he tries to cover that up with wealth and power. He was not looking for a taster but rather for someone that he could control for his own pleasure. He is a finely drawn character as opposed to Nicholas who appears at first to be in total control of himself but who bends in the face of authority. He does not come across as a realistic character and he seems to ride along with the plot. He even stays with his boss after he is given a case of food poisoning.
The quality of the film is excellent--the cinematography is crystal clear. The story was created by Bernard Rapp and his direction is fine.
As Delamont, Bernard Giraudeau is excellent and the way he exercises control over Nicholas is totally believable. This is an unconventional movie with an excellent script and good actin
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
A Fascinating Film
Added 2/16/2009
"A Matter of Taste"
A Fascinating Film
Amos Lassen
There is something about a French film. The French seem to know how to make an audience think and that is certainly true if "A Matter of Taste". Nicholas, a young waiter, at a first class restaurant is spotted by millionaire, Frederic Delamont, who offers him a job to be his taster. It is Nicholas's job to taste all the food that his boss is to eat especially since he can't eat fish or cheese. The relationship between the two men, however, deepens as Delamont begins to obsess about Nicholas and tries to control his life and begins to give him all kinds of gifts. Nicholas has no idea what is really going on as he is being manipulated by his employer. At first it is merely an issue of money but as things progress, Nicholas falls prey to Delamont even though his relationship with his girlfriend is being destroyed.
The film is a psychological study of identity and power which falls into madness to a degree as Delamont tries to mold Nicholas to be just like him. Delamont is a dark person who seems to exude an unhealthy presence but he tries to cover that up with wealth and power. He was not looking for a taster but rather for someone that he could control for his own pleasure. He is a finely drawn character as opposed to Nicholas who appears at first to be in total control of himself but who bends in the face of authority. He does not come across as a realistic character and he seems to ride along with the plot. He even stays with his boss after he is given a case of food poisoning.
The quality of the film is excellent--the cinematography is crystal clear. The story was created by Bernard Rapp and his direction is fine.
As Delamont, Bernard Giraudeau is excellent and the way he exercises control over Nicholas is totally believable. This is an unconventional movie with an excellent script and good acting.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Taste of Fear
Added 1/11/2007
Hitchcock would have loved this psychological thriller about a young man whose life is taken over by the wealthy businessman who hires him as his professional food taster.
0 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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