Anyone can Succeed!. Review on Ratatouille Movie

How many times have we felt inhibited or restricted by the set of circumstances that we were allocated. How many times have we dreamed

of what could have been if only say we were born in America, or to richer parents. But here is another movie that inspires you to break all shackles of your imaginary limitations and achieve all that you ever wanted. Your only limitation is in your mind. The limitation of your dreams. If you can dream it, you can also achieve it. It matters not what you were born as, it matters not what your current set of circumstances dictate. All that matters is what your ability is and how far you are willing to go to develop it further.

You might think what all this has to do with a Walt Disney film and that too about a rat. Well that is the message that this beautiful fun filled film has to convey not only to the children but to all us grown ups too. Before I come to the details of the movie, I would like to dwell on another couple of messages that the movie conveys.

Someone said “You cannot Change Nature.” And the reply “Change is Nature”.How many times have you been told that whatever is the rule of the nature simply cannot be changed. And yet this simple logic defies all those rules. What a truth and how aptly put. Can anyone ever question this logic. A very inspirational sentence I may say.

And the second one, “I don’t want to consume everything, I want to create something.” What a simple sentence and what a deep meaning attached to it. What amazing satisfaction there is in any creative activity. It may be something as simple as writing this review, or something as brilliant as a Michael Angelo painting. There is always a tremendous satisfaction in creating.

The Plot

Remy, the rat stays in the attic of a house in France. He is gifted with a keen sense of smell and can distinguish the good and tasteful food from the rotten and waste stuff that the rest of his clan eats. He is therefore unwilling to eat anything that is found in garbage but only the good and tasteful foods. One day he sees a TV show by a famous French cook, Gusteau where he teaches his culinary skill to all. His famous catch line “Anyone Can Cook” greatly attracts our little Remy. He soon starts reading his book and learning cooking from it.

But soon the owner of the house finds out that she has rats in her attic and tries to blow them all out with a shotgun. Remy’s father and his whole clan flee the house for an alternate safer staying place. Unfortunately in the melee that ensues, Remy finds himself separated from all the others. However while escaping from the attic he has carried with him the cookbook of the Great Chef, Gusteau. Gusteau’s(who is now dead) ghost now speaks to Remy and provides him with the inspiration to seek out ways to accomplish his dreams of becoming a great cook.

The opportunity for the same presents itself soon enough to our little chef. He manages to reach the actual restaurant of Chef Gusteau, which is now run by his chief assistant, Skinner. It is here that he meets his human friend and ally who will later help him achieve his dreams, a garbage boy, Linguini. While in the kitchen Remy prepares a soup that is very much liked by the customers and Linguini gets the credit for the same. Thus starts a partnership that has no parallel up to now. Linguini is a simple garbage boy with no cooking skills whatsoever, whereas Remy is a Rat with culinary skills matching the greatest of French Chefs. Both need each other and soon forge a partnership wherein the Rat guides the actions of the garbage boy while sitting on his head, hidden inside his ‘toque blanche’.

Friends, what I have told you up to now is just the outline of the plot and the story really starts from here. How these two manage to enthrall the French tastes is a journey to be undertaken with them. And that is not before a lot of difficulties and twists and turns in the story. See the movie to find out how Remy helps his friend get back the restaurant that is rightfully his. How the world finally accepts the cooking of a rodent and savors the fine delicacies dished out by him. How they over come all odds to achieve culinary success. And as the catch line of the film says, “Anyone Can Cook”, and the actual meaning behind the phrase – “Anyone Can Succeed”

Picturisation

A lot of research has gone into the making of this delightful cartoon film. How the actual large kitchens function. How is the workflow and the area layout has been studied deeply. Even the designations of all types of workers in a big kitchen are captured and brought out beautifully and without any sermon.

The cartoon characters are adorable as always in the Walt Disney Productions. The animations are very well done. The dialogues are well chosen and voiced. On the whole it’s a delightful viewing experience filled with fun and an engrossing storyline.

Food design

As a little study revealed to me the background of the food designs. Being a food-based movie, a great deal of stress was laid on the presentations of the food in the computer generated food animations. Special chefs were called in to create real dishes and then work with the animators to help animate them. The workings of many large commercial kitchens of big hotels were studied. The final effect was to create animated foods that really look appetizing and mouthwatering.

Conclusion

The movie was released in July 07 and somehow due to some failed negotiations; I had missed it at that time. But having read so many reviews on this one I had determined to see it whenever possiable. So when my son came back from hostel this time he had finally brought a data DVD of the same downloaded from the net.

Now that this movie is not in the theatres, I recommend that you too buy or DVD/CD or download from the web and watch it. It will be worth the effort for the fun, humor, inspirational message et all.