Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5134 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-01-28
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English, Portuguese
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 100 minutes

Amazon.co.uk
Achieving balance in one's life can be a difficult process, but master chef Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones) leads a regimented, very ordered existence running the kitchen of an exclusive restaurant and revels in the sense of power and control her career affords. When Kate's sister is unexpectedly killed in an automobile accident and her 9-year old niece Zoe (Abigail Breslin) moves in with her, Kate's life is turned completely upside down and she is suddenly forced to split her focus between work and family. Enter a newly hired, fun-loving, opera-singing sous-chef Nick Palmer (Aaron Eckhart), whom Kate perceives as a serious rival, and thus begins an impassioned struggle on Kate's part to rein in Nick's exuberance and maintain control over her kitchen staff. Even as they clash, Kate is inexplicably drawn towards Nick, eventually coming to the realisation that Nick offers something that she needs both in her restaurant kitchen and her new life with Zoe. Based on the screenplay for Mostly Martha, Catherine Zeta-Jones carries the lead well in this romantic comedy and there's a nice chemistry between herself and Aaron Eckhart, as well as a poignant performance by Abigail Breslin. And, of course, and the food looks simply scrumptious. --Tami Horiuchi

DVD Description
Master chef Kate Armstrong (Academy Award winner Catherine Zeta-Jones) lives her life like she runs her kitchen at a trendy Manhattan eatery with a no-nonsense intensity that both captivates and intimidates everyone around her. Kate's perfectionist nature is put to the test when she "inherits" her nine-year-old niece Zoe (Abigail Breslin), while contending with a brash new sous-chef who joins her staff. High-spirited and freewheeling, Nick Palmer (Aaron Eckhart) couldn't be more different from Kate, yet the chemistry between them is undeniable. Rivalry becomes romance, but Kate will have to learn to express herself beyond the realm of her kitchen if she wants to connect with Zoe and find true happiness with Nick.

Synopsis
When a top chef (Catherine Zeta-Jones) gains unexpected custody of a little girl (Abigail Breslin), her life gets thrown off course. Things get even more complicated when some sexy chef competition (Aaron Eckhart) enters her kitchen and her heart.

Customer Reviews

No reservations here - watch this quaint romantic comedy any Sunday afternoon
Yes, I agree with the Short Attention Span Summary of "No Reservations" from one of the other reviewer, but I was actually surprised by this movie. I really hadn't expected the whole Zoe-angle, and for me that sets this movie apart from so many other Sunday-afternoon-on-the-couch-romantic-dramas.

Kate is a single-minded, brillant, slightly obsessive chef, who loses control of her life and kitchen, when her sister is killed in an accident and Kate becomes the guardian of Zoe, a little girl who really isn't into forel au bleu, but prefers pizza and Nick barges into Kate kitchen chopping and singing opera.

I really like the story line between Kate and Zoe, that really show how not in control Kate is, but it is Nick and Zoe, who steal the focus in "No reservations". They are brilliantly played.

Watch it from the couch on a Sunday afternoon. Have gourmet munchies within reach and get inspiration for your own livingroom-pizza-plateless-safari.

Louise.

See Kate cook
Billed as a romantic comedy, there are two things you should know about this movie.
1. It's not a comedy
2. It isn't very romantic

Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Kate, an obsessive master chef who works so hard at her profession that she has no time for heating anything except pots and pans.

Abigail Breslin plays Zoe, Kate's niece. She's not feeling very sunshine-y since the tragic event that leads up to her having to live with Kate.

Aaron Eckhart plays Nick, an opera singing all around good guy who's hired as Kate's sous-chef without her prior approval.


Short Attention Span Summary (SASS)

See Kate cook
Cook, Kate, cook
See Zoe
Poor Zoe
Zoe has to live with Kate
Kate hasn't a clue
See Nick
Nick cooks too
See Nick and Kate cook
See Nick and Kate fight
See predictable ending


This is a very light movie that will be a good choice for spending a lazy afternoon watching cable when you've nothing better to do. Zeta-Jones is good, even though Eckhart steals every scene he's in, but the main attraction is the food. As a matter of fact, it's quite likely that you'll find yourself getting hungry for gourmet treats about half way through the movie.

Shallow but watchable, the thing that ruins this movie is that darned predictability thing.
Rated: 3.5 stars



Amanda Richards

Okay but serious issues considered
Yes, this film is fine for Sunday afternoon watching. there are some very serious issues addressed here and we thought that this was well acted on the part of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ekhart and the young girl actress but it's not all that funny because it's over-shadowed by the deep sadness running throughout the whole movie. Dont get me wrong, there are some very funny parts which will have you roaring with laughter, but it's one of those films that when you sit and think about it afterwards, it's not the comedy side of things which sticks in your mind. I think it's worth a watch, but i dont think i'll be rushing out to buy it. I'll sit and watch it again when it comes on normal tv, but it is forgettable - not Zeta-Jones' usual stuff, but still very good performances from the main cast.