I watched Julie and Julia last night and liked it even more than I thought I would. Why? Well it addressed so many issues that are relevant to me (and I think you too, possibly, if you come to this blog). Julie and Julia is the story of two women in different time periods and countries, both of whom are struggling to answer the question, what is my purpose in life?

Julie Powell (Amy Irving) is a 29 year-old young woman who lives over a pizzeria in Brooklyn and dreams of becoming a published author. She’s written a book, but not yet been published. She has a tendency to start things and not finish them. It’s 2005, and the world of blogging is on the rise. The internet awaits her: a place where anyone can become a writer and reach a vast number of people, all from their living room and their trusty PC. Julie is a good cook and she uses her skills in the kitchen to shake off the stress and heartbreak involved in her grueling government job, where she must answer phone calls related to 9/11 survivors who are asking for help (or complaining about the absence of government assistance, as the case might be).

After buying a second hand copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julie takes on the daunting task of making every recipe in the classic cookbook and blogging about her results. She wants to prove to herself that she can finish the task. Besides, the challenge puts together two of her talents—cooking and writing. As she progresses in her personal challenge, Julie becomes more and more of an expert on the woman who had written the ground breaking book that was written with the purpose of offering (in Julia Child’s words) “French cooking for American women who don’t have servants.”

Meryl Streep did a phenomenal job of playing Julia Child in a manner that both sounded precisely like the iconic television chef, while still not making you feel like you were watching a caricature the whole time. (While I never watched Julia’s cooking show, I’ve seen clips and of course the SNL bit with Dan Akroyd’s hysterical parody of her where “Julia” gushes blood after cutting herself—a bit that was shown in the movie). Streep created a complex, incredibly endearing character. Julia charms almost everyone she meets in Paris, where her husband works as a diplomat with the American embassy. Her effervescence and genuine enthusiasm about life, food and cooking just sort of exudes off her like a glow.

Lest you think this book is all artsy and includes no romance or sex, think again. Both Julie and Julia are passionate women who share very healthy sex lives with their husbands. In one scene that made me snort, Julia Child’s husband Paul (played wonderfully by Stanley Tucci) is watching in fascination while Julia moves about the kitchen as if in a synchronized dance. Julia reaches into a boiling pot to grab some pasta, jumps and exclaims, “That’s hotter than a stiff cock!” (Apparently, the line was taken verbatim from a letter Paul Child wrote to a friend).

There is amazing depth to this story—for instance, a side theme that both Paul and Julia had been targeted by the McCarthy witch hunts because of their liberalism and the “˜books they read.’ Julia’s father is a Pasadena republican who is one hundred percent behind McCarthy. The arrival of Julia’s sister in Paris—who is just as loud, full of fun and as tall as Julia—adds great warmth and smiles to one scene as the sisters imagine how their father must bemoan having birthed two such odd ball women.

There was one scene that brought tears to my eyes, where Julia arrives in New York with her writing companion, and they are to be picked up by Julia’s friend. When Julia’s companion learns that she’s never actually ‘met’ this woman, that they’ve only corresponded by post, she’s shocked. When Julia sees the pen pal friend and they approach one another and embrace, almost as if in wonder, it reminded me poignantly of times when I’ve met in person friends that I had heretofore only known online. For me, it was a lovely scene that subtly added a thread of commonality between Julie and Julia, despite their differing ages.

The parallels between the two women—one in New York, the other in Europe—continue to grow, eventually creating a tightly woven plot that details Julie and Julia’s heartaches and triumphs as they attempt to realize their dreams as authors and chefs. One thing I really appreciated is that Julia Child was still alive at the time of Julie’s blogging, and actually witnessed Julie Powell’s rise to fame, including book and movie contracts. I’ll leave it to you to watch the end, but I appreciated that it wasn’t predictable, with both women rushing into each other’s arms at the conclusion.

I enjoyed this movie immensely and give it a high recommendation. My rating for Julie and Julia: 4.75.