'The Menu' Review: Devilishly Delicious Satire on Service Cuts Deep
The Menu
R: Strong/disturbing violent content, language throughout and some sexual references.
Runtime: 1 hr and 47 Minutes
Production Companies: Hyperobject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions, Alienworx Productions, TSG Entertainment
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Director: Mark Mylod
Writers: Seth Reiss, Will Tracy
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Judith Light, John Leguizamo
Release Date: November 18, 2022
In Theaters Only
A couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) travels to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
2022 has been a captivating year for narratives that circle the subject of class in various genres. Films such as Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, Triangle of Sadness, The Bob’s Burgers Movie, Glass Onion, and The Menu deconstructed the chokehold of capitalism and class on the psyche when put in life-threatening situations. Out of all the aforementioned movies, none tricked me the way The Menu did.
Working in the service industry is a demanding and laborious experience. Whether it’s retail, food, sex work, you name it, providing services can take a toll on employees when privileged assholes give them hell. Though classified as a thriller, The Menu is a cathartic dark fantasy for anyone who has ever wanted revenge against the worst customers they’ve encountered. In this film, rich assholes of various backgrounds are invited to a fancy coastal island restaurant named Hawthorne for a special course tasting. Various parties, including a celebrity actor (John Leguizamo), his hurried assistant (Aimee Carrero), a critic (Janet McTeer), her yes-man editor (Paul Adelstein), a rich couple (Reed Birney, Judith Light), millennial tech bros (Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr, Rob Yang), a pompous rich fanboy (Nicholas Hoult), and his skeptical date Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) all think they’re in for a treat from their head chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). As the courses veer into dark and shocking territory, their treats transform into terror.
Filmmaker Mark Mylod, who has helmed several episodes of Succession, is no stranger to working with an ensemble cast that portrays wealthy douchebags. His return to film after a decade-long absence—his last movie was that forgettable Chris Evans/Anna Faris rom-com What’s Your Number?—is one that swings for the fences and sparkles with pizazz. Through occupying within a predominantly single-set location, Mylod highlights all the self-important personalities of his wealthy customers. Their transparent idiosyncrasies contributed to Slowik’s decision to request their presence at his restaurant. The affluent customers' archetypes feel familiar, but their ties to Slowik—whose conceptual art becomes the deadliest swan song of his career—make them all engaging in their own right.
Margot is an exception. She’s a stone-cold woman whose presence completely staggers Slowik. The moment they share intimidating glances, the social commentary on service work and class ensues. Margot and Julian play an intellectual game of wits throughout the evening and the tension builds with each move they make.
As shocking secrets slowly unravel via each course, Hawthorne goes from being a fanciful restaurant/every foodie’s biggest dream to being a claustrophobic nightmare straight out of a Saw flick. Mylod’s direction balances the classy and the horrific, creating a unique atmosphere that nails the same energy as a Bong Joon-Ho film. Mylod aces the assignment, perfectly matching Seth Reiss and Will Tracy’s sharp screenplay. They ambitiously structure the story through various courses, each delivering a savory twist or turn that subtly speaks on class and the service industry while meticulously fleshing out the leads, primarily Slowik.
One can crack jokes about how Slowik bears similarity to Gordon Ramsay, but Ramsay would be eaten alive by this man. From his intimidating, cultish line of cooks to his monotonous delivery and booming claps at the start of each course, Slowik is an enticing stone-cold antagonist. He’s petty as shit, yet you can’t help but support his motivations. He’s like if Anton Ego from Ratatouille became a chef who was radicalized by watching Parasite and all the Saw movies. Ralph Fiennes' show-stopping performance encapsulates a dark and corrupted soul tortured by figures who demean his efforts. He is as cunning as he is disturbing, at times even more so than Voldemort.
If you are new to this site, you must know that this is an Anya Taylor-Joy stan account. That being said, she’s as fantastic as you’d expect her to be as Margot. Her American accent has the same raspiness and cadence as a young Emma Stone and is positioned to be both the audience’s avatar and a foil to Slowik. While the wealthy patrons are initially head over heels for the chef, Margot’s standoffish behavior towards Slowik puts him on high alert. Taylor-Joy brings a mixture of fearlessness, bluntness, and scream queen qualities to her performance that goes toe to toe with Fiennes as she slowly rises to power, playing his game her way.
The supporting cast is exquisite, but the two MVPs are Hong Chau as Slowik’s right-hand sous chef Elsa and Nicholas Hoult as foodie fanboy Tyler. Chau boasts a menacing presence and Hoult has become one of my favorite actors who works best with comedy. My favorite Hoult is when he plays a pompous douche who demeans others for his benefit. He has big, “Notice me, Senpai,'' energy throughout the course and is completely oblivious to the real-life crimes occurring in front of him.
I returned to Hawthorne once before The Menu’s cinematic release and will likely be back for thirds and fourths. The Menu is undeniably one of the best movies of 2022. The balance between its dark comedy and thrills, the charismatic performances, and its clever commentary get tastier with each bite. If there’s anything I would nitpick, it’s the pacing in the second act. The weight of the runtime is felt, but even after it loses speed, it eventually ramps itself up again.
Bolstered by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy’s engrossingly clever script, Mark Mylod’s The Menu is a twisted yet cathartic ode to service industry workers who lost their souls for success. Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes are top-notch as they play an intense game of wits bursting with flavor that thrills, delights, and excites. If you are to experience The Menu this Thanksgiving, do yourself a favor and do what I did at TIFF: have a double feature with Glass Onion. Those are the closest we’ll get to Bong Joon-Ho levels of cinematic genius this year.
