Food Club is about a group of childhood friends who are now nearing retirement. The three women are all at a crossroads at their lives after having to face different issues in their lives. They decide to head to Italy to take a cooking course in order to help her their lives back in order. It is also a chance to take the trip of a lifetime.
The film sounds like a recipe for saccharine sweet moments that will be over the top. There is certainly some truth to this. Many moments in Food Club would feel right at home in a Hallmark Channel movie. The premise almost demands these moments. It is the material around director Barbara Topsoe-Rothenborg’s film that helps it to stand apart.
Food Club does not rely on the melodramatic moments to draw its audience in. This is due to the film’s willingness to go a little deeper and explore the characters a little more. While the script confines the three leads to familiar genre tropes (broken marriages and families are rampant), they still manage to be interesting.
The plot makes sure to focus on the friendships and self-discovery. This makes the film a much more interesting watch. The women face each of their dilemmas and learn from them. The Food Club is not a dour piece about reluctantly accepting life. It is more about moving on finding oneself. It is heartwarming and relatable to audiences of all ages.
The settings are unsurprisingly beautiful. Food Club takes its characters to Italian vineyards and gorgeous estates. The three friends soak in the local cuisine and culture all the while immersing the audience in the story being told. The plot is a conventional one, but it is also very enjoyable.
Food Club releases March 19
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