MOVIE OF THE WEEK (8/9/19): THE KITCHEN
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| "What do you mean you already binged every episode of The Last O.G., Mike & Molly, Mad Men AND The Handmaid's Tale?!" Ruby (Tiffany Haddish), Kathy (Melissa McCarthy) and Claire (Elisabeth Moss) prepare to talk business in a scene from writer/director Andrea Berloff's 1970s-set crime drama THE KITCHEN. Credit: Alison Cohen Rosa © 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment. |
WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss, Domhnall Gleeson, Margo Martindale, James Badge Dale, Brian D'Arcy James, Bill Camp, Jeremy Bobb, Wayne Duvall, E.J. Bonilla, John Sharian, Annabella Sciorra, Myk Wattford and Common
DIRECTOR(S): Andrea Berloff
DIRECTOR(S): Andrea Berloff
WEB SITE: https://www.thekitchenmovie.com/
THE BACK STORY: 1978. Hell's Kitchen, New York City. Crime is running rampant and the Irish mob is involved in as many facets of it as it possibly can. But when a FBI agent named Silvers (Common) and his partner Martinez (E.J. Bonilla) bust Kevin O'Carroll (James Badge Dale), Rob Walsh (Jeremy Bobb) and Jimmy (Brian D'Arcy James), it turns things upside for the local gangsters. That spells big trouble, however, for Kathy (Melissa McCarthy), Ruby (Tiffany Haddish) and Claire (Elisabeth Moss) since they rely on their husbands to support the family, although Claire will likely be happy to spared some of Rob's physical abuse. Ruby, however, will still have to deal with her overbearing mother-in-law Helen (Margo Martindale).
Unsatisfied with the provisions "family" boss Little Jackie (Myk Watford) is giving them, Kathy, Ruby and Claire get the idea to go into the family business for themselves; once they add some muscle in the form Gabriel (Domhnall Gleeson), the women start to see themselves in a new rich, independent light.
But with their husbands release from jail pending and a lot of men not exactly being cool with the idea of taking orders from three women, Kathy, Ruby and Claire are about to see how hot Hell's Kitchen can truly get.
Unsatisfied with the provisions "family" boss Little Jackie (Myk Watford) is giving them, Kathy, Ruby and Claire get the idea to go into the family business for themselves; once they add some muscle in the form Gabriel (Domhnall Gleeson), the women start to see themselves in a new rich, independent light.
But with their husbands release from jail pending and a lot of men not exactly being cool with the idea of taking orders from three women, Kathy, Ruby and Claire are about to see how hot Hell's Kitchen can truly get.
THE REVIEW: Based on/inspired by the comic series by D.C. Comics Vertigo line of the same name, The Kitchen features everything you've come to expect from a mob movie: There's double-crosses, plenty of violence, profanity and conflicted characters struggling to reconcile what they are doing vs. the need for what they are doing. What makes The Kitchen stand out, however, is the fact that it places three women in the role of the aggressors, showing them both in a place of empowerment and possessing the ability to become just as savage as their male counterparts.
Thus, if you are a fan of the crime/gangster/mob drama genre, The Kitchen will deliver everything you could want with the acting talents of its three female leads standing out, driving the story forward with writer/director Andrea Berloff leading the way.
There are few female-centric mob dramas; while this may seem like the main selling point of The Kitchen, it would be erroneous to simply dismiss the film as such. Berloff's Hell's Kitchen is a vibrant backdrop to tell the characters' stories, each of which weaves familiar ideals into a unique triple feature that heightens the plot's overall intrigue and audience's interest level. The real winner of the film is Haddish, for the comedian erases any and all doubt of her ability to do more than comedy stealing every moment possible. Fans of McCarthy and Moss will no doubt be pleased as well with The Kitchen's final result ... Provided they are prepared to watch a lot of violence during the course of the film's 113 minute runtime.
Other than that, there's not much one needs to know going in to see The Kitchen. For (1) if you enjoy crime dramas; (2) like to see three talented women – with strong performances from their supporting cast mates – showcased in roles that present them as smart, cunning and when necessary, violent in a story that (3) is well told from start to finish, you'll enjoy The Kitchen.
Consider it a near classic example of female empowerment courtesy of self-determination ... And Smith & Wesson.
Thus, if you are a fan of the crime/gangster/mob drama genre, The Kitchen will deliver everything you could want with the acting talents of its three female leads standing out, driving the story forward with writer/director Andrea Berloff leading the way.
There are few female-centric mob dramas; while this may seem like the main selling point of The Kitchen, it would be erroneous to simply dismiss the film as such. Berloff's Hell's Kitchen is a vibrant backdrop to tell the characters' stories, each of which weaves familiar ideals into a unique triple feature that heightens the plot's overall intrigue and audience's interest level. The real winner of the film is Haddish, for the comedian erases any and all doubt of her ability to do more than comedy stealing every moment possible. Fans of McCarthy and Moss will no doubt be pleased as well with The Kitchen's final result ... Provided they are prepared to watch a lot of violence during the course of the film's 113 minute runtime.
Other than that, there's not much one needs to know going in to see The Kitchen. For (1) if you enjoy crime dramas; (2) like to see three talented women – with strong performances from their supporting cast mates – showcased in roles that present them as smart, cunning and when necessary, violent in a story that (3) is well told from start to finish, you'll enjoy The Kitchen.
Consider it a near classic example of female empowerment courtesy of self-determination ... And Smith & Wesson.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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