Das Maß der Dinge

Viewed this recently on a poor video transfer at a SlowFood event. A very briskly paced glimpse into the obsessive nature of a young chef's need to reach for a higher plane in taste. For foodies the intensity of the kitchen scenes was made frustrating by not being allowed to look into the pans and only catch a glimpse of the dishes as they made their way to tables. The off-again / on-again soundtrack added much to the frantic feel of the backstage environment. A couple of sequences away from heat of the ovens gave shorthand clues into the personalities of the principals without belaboring the back-story. Thinking about this film the next day revealed even more content that had been reduced to it's essence and left for the diner (oops) viewer to discover. Excellent acting throughout - just now realizing these characters were probably actors and not cooks. A little metaphor, a dash of fantasy, and some dark humor made for a surprisingly effective brief film.