UNIQUE FILM IDEAS AND STUNNING CASTS ALWAYS WORK TOGETHER
This movie hit at the perfect time to capitalize on Anya Taylor Joy’s rising fame at the time and Nicholas Hoult also being a star on the rise. But we cannot downplay who carries this movie, and that is Ralph Fiennes. He sets the tone. The rest of the cast does a great job playing the unexpected recipients, but the satire around critics and those that critique but can’t do is only elevated by Ralph’s performance. This movie also had an elite idea around using the elite food industry around luxury dining to illustrate common faults of humanity and that there are consequences to actions. All this done through a tense night of presenting the most odd food options you will ever see. The presenting of each meal on a moving photo with text in the screen is a brilliant touch.
ANYA IS A QUEEN AND THAT BABE CAN ACT
Anya going from the unknowing date (service worker) to a confident rebellious guest is a journey that is hard not to enjoy. Her delivery of lines aside the Chef shows a dynamic that makes the film as a whole work perfectly. Her interactions with Tyler are bizarre and fun while he obsesses over the meals and she looks at him like he has three heads and is insane. She is the black sheep amongst these food critics or rich persons that enjoy luxury experience as you can call them too and Chef sniffs it out quickly as she was not planned as part of the “menu.” Her interaction with the Chef at the end in the monologue of asking for a cheeseburger really helps bring the final act home. You see a different side of the chef because of her. She stands against his luxury bullshit and brings herself up as an equal to him in his eyes. Not to mention the closing of her covered in blood eating a cheeseburger made me really fucking hungry it’s so great.
THE CRITICS THAT CAN’T DO
One underrated aspect of this in my opinion is all of these people want to be and feel like exquisite food critics. This entire display, especially with Tyler’s death, is that you should not be a critic of something you are not able to do. While this may be an extreme description of what Tyler actually represents, I find it fair since himself as a diner is an extreme representation of critics. Unless there are really people out there like him. Then they suck. Tyler ultimately gets embarrassed with his shit lamb entree and disappoints the chef, then is hung off screen, not sure if he was forced to or did it himself because he was so ashamed. All of these luxury diners get their dessert as well. While I love smores, I wouldn’t want to end up like them as they are rewarded with an excellent burning sensation as they become part of the menu.
ORIGINAL FILM IDEAS, KEEP EM COMING
Just briefly I want to say I love films like THE MENU, that take a swing at a unique idea that may not be for everyone but is intriguing, unique, and surrounded by top tier performances that make this a great first watch, and a great rewatch. The crowd slowly dying in the burn at the end is a great touch because the inevitable was that they all died along one another to be cleansed, and it’s fulfilled with the only positive coming out of the ending is that Margot got away. What a wonderful film.
The Cinema Speakeasy Theatre Room 
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