What Do The Critics Say?

"It's not exactly revolutionary territory but it is effectively presented and it will be hard to find viewers who aren't at least a little moved by what director Scott Hicks has placed on the screen." James Berardinelli REELVIEWS "No Reservations, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones as a persnickety New York chef, makes a corned beef hash out of "Mostly Martha", the much-loved 2001 German film from which it has been Hollywoodized." Ty Burr BOSTON GLOBE "is absolutely ordinary in its predictability and blandness. Don't expect any memorable performances or mouth-watering scenarios." Angela Baldassarre SYMPATICO "Sure it has some cheesy moments and a way-too-convenient ending, but it means well and has a poignant core that feels true to itself." Bill Clark FROMTHEBALCONY "There are moments that work, but on the whole, this production just doesn't flow well, doesn't drive, doesn't build to climax. One other hindrance: the heavy-handed score." Ross Anthony HOLLYWOOD REPORT CARD

"This is the Eckhart fans have been hoping for. The versatile actor has handled heftier roles well ("In the Company of Men," "Erin Brockovich"). But here, on a shaggy smile riding above that cleft chin, float plenty of fine fantasies about handsome, confident and, yes, sensitive guys. There's a reason Nick cooks and drives a pick-up (in Manhattan, no less). He is the dish women crave after the cheese-doodle boys of arrested romantic comedies grow stale. No Reservations may not be grand eats, but it is tasty." Lisa Kennedy DENVER POST "a competent but uneven renovation of "Mostly Martha" without the magic that made it so special." Edward Douglas COMINGSOON.NET "Slyly sensual and succulent, it's a deliciously delectable froth in which food is the metaphor for love and life." Susan Granger SUSANGRANGER.COM "Honestly, the best thing you can do is go rent Mostly Martha, the 2002 German film this Hollywood remake is based very, very closely on. But if you really can't stand to read subtitles, then this is your next best bet." MaryAnn Johanson FLICK FILOSOPHER "The salacious close-ups of saucepans and gnocchi and quail guarantee it: After seeing No Reservations you’ll be hungry for a really top-flight meal. And, to go with it, a better film." Michael Phillips CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The Inside Story For "No Reservations" director Scott Hicks, it was not only the story itself that first attracted him, but the way in which it offered touching glimpses of human interaction at its most intimate and relatable level. "It’s a heartfelt, contemporary drama that strikes an interesting balance between deep emotions and moments of natural humor and lightheartedness, which is how most of us experience life," he says. "It’s about loss, but also about learning to change and finding real love out of loss." As a filmmaker, Hicks says, he is drawn to "character-driven stories of real emotion," and saw in Kate’s dilemma an opportunity to explore how a person with an extremely well-ordered life might deal with unexpected events that change all of it in an instant. More importantly, "how that person might find, through challenge and adversity, the gifts of love, purpose and a fresh perspective on life." Catherine Zeta-Jones, who stars as Kate, is one of Hicks's biggest fans. "It has so many facets. There’s a wonderful love story, there’s the poignant relationship between Kate and her young niece, there is Kate’s passion for her work and then there’s the fascinating theater of a professional kitchen and seeing how that fast-paced world operates. When I heard that Scott Hicks wanted to direct it, I was thrilled. I knew from his body of work that he would bring to it the right sensitivity and texture." "Bella Martha" ("Mostly Martha" 2001) charmed many of the "No Reservations" cast and filmmakers prior to their collaboration. "It was both a stylish and very tender film. We thought that by relocating it to America we could bring it to a larger audience. Setting it in New York—a city with such a rich relationship with food and restaurants—was the perfect choice and I knew it would add its own zest to the film. You can’t walk down a street in New York without passing little cafés of every description and taking in all that aroma and activity," says producer Kerry Heysen. "It was a love story that celebrated the universal joy of making and sharing great food," says producer Sergio Agüero. "I was tremendously excited about its potential worldwide because both of these subjects strike a familiar chord in every culture." Food and everything related to food; the preparation, presentation and sharing of it, not to mention the aroma, the texture, the look and the taste of it, has undeniable romantic and life-affirming elements, which Hicks weaves throughout the story. That intention began with the screenplay, of which screenwriter Carol Fuchs says, "The element of food serves in both a literal and a figurative sense. It’s not just about what we eat but how we feed ourselves emotionally." "Food has its own power and symbolic presence in the film. All the communication and seduction begins with food. The connection between Kate and Nick begins with their shared love of cuisine, and it also plays a role in bringing Zoe out of her shell. In Zoe’s case, as a child whose grief has suppressed her appetite, the fact that she finally takes the spaghetti Nick offers her is a sign that she trusts him and is warming up to him," Hicks offers. "In the case of Kate and Nick sharing their first meal together, there is a more erotic charge to it." "Food here is a metaphor for life and the life force or, if you like, love," says Heysen. "It certainly engages all the senses. With the cooking itself, especially at this level where it’s practically an art form, there’s a heightened awareness of incorporating ingredients and layering tastes to stimulate the palette," notes Eckhart. "Oh yeah, it’s very romantic." Hicks says the film rested upon the shoulders of Zeta-Jones's performance. "The story absolutely rests on her shoulders. She's in nearly every scene and the whole thing revolves around her. She has great subtlety and amazing timing, which, when you consider her background as a dancer, isn’t surprising. That timing plays so well into her sense of drama, because there are scenes of strong emotion here but also breakthrough moments of fun." "Kate runs a tight ship, to say the least," says Zeta-Jones. "She knows her business and tends to get a little defensive when a customer questions the taste or presentation of any of her dishes. But when she brings that strict perfectionism into her private life it keeps her from having real relationships with people. It keeps away the insecurities and fears and the potential pain, but also the joy and the fullness of life that only exists when you can open up to people, let go a little and let things happen." Kate has always had total control of the kitchen, but all that changes when her boss Paula hires talented sous-chef, Nick. "Kate takes one look at this casual, easygoing new chef, playing opera and telling jokes, and she thinks he’s not taking the job seriously. It would appear that way but, in truth, Nick just has his own style. Once he feels Kate’s blast of hostility, he assumes the rubber band theory of 'don’t break, just bend,' and tries to be as nice and charming as possible in the hope that she will eventually let down her guard," Eckhart says. Both Hicks and Zeta-Jones were impressed with Eckhart. "This role shows a wonderfully light side of Aaron, which we don’t always see. A lot of his roles have been quite intense," Zeta-Jones observed. "Not only is Aaron the romantic leading man here," says Hicks, "he also has to have the ability to genuinely connect with a little girl and bring out the emotion in that as well, which sounds easier than it actually is." Eckhart says he enjoyed his scenes with Abigail Breslin, who turned ten during production. "It’s fun to have that kind of youthful spirit around. She taught me some cheerleading cheers, and we would practice together in the kitchen between takes," he said. Hicks descibes Breslin as 'delightful'. "She’s not caught up in the business of it all; she simply enjoys acting. I love working with children. Although they may not bring a wealth of experience or technique to a role, they can, like Abigail, bring tremendous honesty and access to their emotions. If I explain the context and situation of a scene to her, Abigail can sense precisely where to take her character." Hicks had plenty of praise for 2004 Golden Satellite Award winner Patricia Clarkson who plays 22 Bleecker owner Paula. "She’s extremely resourceful and absolutely the real deal as an actress. She gives a smart, sophisticated razor-sharp wit to the role." Clarkson, who won six awards for the wickedly wonderful 2003 film, "Pieces of April" (incuding the 2004 Golden Satellite Award), notes: "Paula has her own control issues. She’s a very can-do person and runs every aspect of this restaurant. She’s the host, the maître d', the manager, the owner, not to mention head of personnel and wine selection. This is her baby; her whole life is wrapped up in this restaurant. Paula respects Kate for her talent and work ethic and so tolerates her fits of temperament. They are friends and they have history but it’s not an easy relationship." As they did with the original film, Hicks "wanted wanted the actors to be at ease with the tempo of a professional kitchen. I always strive for realism. In this setting, it was especially important for the actors to feel as though they were really preparing these dishes and coping with the stresses of their environment. It was essential that their actions be fluid and natural in order to keep the emphasis where it belongs; on the story." Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart spent two weeks with celebrity chef Michael White, who tailored his instruction to their character's specialized roles: for Zeta-Jones, as head chef, an emphasis on preparing sauces, pan-tossing small items, plating and preparing garnish; and for Eckhart, as sous-chef, the more practical aspects of chopping vegetables and sautéing, cleaning and butchering fish and meat. Following the edict that the mark of a good chef is not only a flair for food but a command of his domain, both learned safety basics and the fine points of handling knives, grasping superheated pot handles with towels and deftly navigating the cramped space while simultaneously working, talking and cooking. Eckhart, who has worked as a waiter and bartender but never a chef, found the curriculum fascinating, although, in addition to onions, carrots and mushrooms, he cut his fingers numerous times during his two-day practice with the knife. This was par for the course, he was assured by White, who, after sixteen years of cooking professionally, still lives by the rule of assuming that every surface in a kitchen is hot. Breslin learned to flip pancakes and pare vegetables under the tutelage of French Culinary Institute chef Lee Anne Wong. During one scene she got a little carried away with her newfound skill. "I was peeling asparagus. I got down to the part where it becomes white and just kept going until it got really skinny and Scott started laughing." And what did he say? He said, "You don’t have to turn it into a toothpick; it’s still asparagus." Clarkson took a crash course on how to handle front of house duties with aplomb from Daniele Sbordi, then general manager of New York City’s renowned Fiamma Osteria. Clarkson likens it to managing a theatre. "When you’re running a restaurant, you have to be on top of everything: reservations, stock, orders, staff and the wine selection, not to mention the preferences and personalities of the VIPs coming in, and be ready to diffuse any potential situation." "As food is the metaphor for love in this story, food preparation is the context in which these characters live, behave and interact," says Hicks. He and production designer Barbara Ling researched approximately sixty area restaurants for their range of design options and mood, noting differences between work spaces created by chefs versus those created by restaurant owners. After briefly considering adapting an existing industrial facility they opted to build their kitchen from scratch on a soundstage at Silvercup East Studios in Queens. "The one advantage was that we didn’t adhere to codes, or it would have been ridiculously expensive. Instead, I was able to design a kitchen to look completely functional but that doesn’t have to last very long." Synopsis

Master chef, Kate lives her life like she runs the kitchen at upscale 22 Bleecker Restaurant on the corner of Charles & Bleecker,in Manhattan. With breathtaking precision, she powers through each hectic shift, coordinating hundreds of meals, preparing delicate sauces, seasoning and simmering each dish to absolute perfection. More at ease behind the scenes, she only leaves the sanctuary of her kitchen to accept compliments for one of her signature dishes, or, on rare occasions, to tangle with a customer who dares question her expertise. Most nights find her in bed before midnight, set to rise at dawn to beat her competition to the fish market for the next day's freshest selections. All that changes when her sister is killed in a car accident and Kate is left to care for her nine year old niece, Zoe. To make matters worse, her boss Paula has brought a brash new sous-chef into the kitchen.

The Verdict "If you were one of those who had the opportunity to see the much awarded and much lauded film "Mostly Martha" you will probably, after sitting through Scott Hick's "No Reservations", be thanking your lucky stars you did. "Mostly Martha" was a quality, critically acclaimed film which oozed charm, sex appeal and featured a cast with real chemistry. They are essential items for a successful film and sadly "No Reservations" lacks them all. With the exception of Abigail Breslin's character Zoe, there isn't anything here in "No Reservation" that is likely to bond you to the films main characters. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. If you haven't seen "Mostly Martha", forget everything you've read in this critique because I'm sure many will find this remake of "Mostly Martha", good fare. Well, up to a point! Taken at face value, "No Reservations" ain't half bad. Of course that means it ain't half good either. Breslin, who wowed us with her performance as Olive Hoover, once again is a little scene stealer and it's her screen time that is the most satisfying. Eckhart and Zeta-Jones never get off the ground when it comes to chemistry. The scenes within the restaurant featuring 'customers', will raise plenty of laughs. Worth a look at. 3 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "NO RESERVATIONS" stars .......
Academy Award & two time Blockbuster Entertainment Award winner Catherine Zeta-Jones ["The Mask of Zorro", "Chicago", "Intolerable Cruelty" and "The Terminal"]; 1988 Independent Spirit Award winner Aaron Eckhart ["The Pledge", "The Missing", "Thank You For Smoking" and "The Black Dahlia"]; Abigail Breslin ["Signs", "Raising Helen" and "Little Miss Sunshine"]; Two time EMMY Award winner Patricia Clarkson ["Far from Heaven", "Pieces of April", "Dogville" and "Good Night, and Good Luck"]; Jenny Wade ["Nurse Betty", "Monster-in-Law" and "Rumour Has It"]; Brian F O'Byrne ["The Last Bus Home", "Intermission" and "Million Dollar Baby"] and 2002 BAFTA Award winner Bob Balaban ["Gosford Park", "A Mighty Wind", "Capote" and "Lady in the Water"] as the Therapist.
"NO RESERVATIONS" was .......
directed by Scott Hicks ["Call Me Mr Brown", "Shine", "Snow Falling On Cedars" and "Hearts in Atlantis"]; screenplay by Carol Fuchs ["No Reservations"]; original screenplay by Sandra Nettelbeck ["Mostly Martha" and "Sergeant Pepper"]; costume design by Melissa Toth ["You Can Count on Me", "The Perfect Score" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"]; production design by Barbara Ling ["Fried Green Tomatoes", "Random Hearts" and "Hearts in Atlantis"]; edited by Pip Karmel ["Sebastian and the Sparrow", "Shine" and "Hearts in Atlantis"]; cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh ["Runaway Bride", "Bridget Jones's Diary" and "Kate & Leopold"]; original music by Philip Glass ["The Hours", "Secret Window", "The Illusionist" and "Notes on a Scandal"]; produced by Sergio Agueron ["Let the Devil Wear Black", "Y tu mamá también" and "Princesas"] and Kerry Heysen ["Snow Falling on Cedars" and "Hearts in Atlantis"]. Who's Who?

Catherine Zeta-Jones Aaron Eckhart Abigail Breslin Patricia Clarkson Jenny Wade Bob Balaban Brian F O'Byrne Lily Rabe Eric Silver Arija Bareikis John McMartin Celia Weston Zoe Kravitz Matthew Rauch Dearbhla Molloy Stephanie Berry Matt Servitto Yevgeniy Dekhtyar Fulvio Cecere Ako Frank Santorelli

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Kate Nick Zoe Paula Leah Therapist Sean Bernadette John Christine Mr Peterson Mrs Peterson Charlotte Ken Anna Principal Ellen Parker Doctor Truffle Dealer Fish Vendor Bob Vegetable Vendor Lobster Vendor

Run Time 100 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - Warner Bros - All Rights Reserved ©2007 All Rights Reserved - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.