Film Review: "The Menu"




(Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures)

Satire is one of the most challenging genres within a film. Stories that satirize can be heavyhanded in the hands of the wrong filmmaker. Mark Mylod’s film The Menu is attempting to satirize the upper class. The story follows a couple Margo (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) who travel to a remote island to eat at a lavish restaurant. Run by the mysterious Head Chef Slowik, (Ralph Fiennes) the night becomes darkly sinister. Once things take a dark turn in the story, The Menu is able to hit its stride. The problems reside in the screenplay’s very talkative and fast-paced first half.

Time is spent in the first half establishing these characters and setting a tone. That would not be possible without the brilliant Ralph Fiennes taking the stage. The moment he appears, everyone is instantly unsettled. His character Slowik treats himself like a god but with an oddly humane personality. He is someone who portrays a menace to the customers but is disarmingly warm with his staff. His interactions with the customers (an array of popular character actors) keep the first half enjoyable. The dialogue is snappy and fast-paced while attempting to skewer all of the vapid guests. The upper-class customers are being criticized, but what they are being criticized for feels rote. The screenplay by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy does not tell audiences anything they do not already know. Particularly in the discussion of social class struggles.

Each customer is faced with their own vanities or insecurities going into this dinner.  Reiss and Tracy want viewers to understand that none of these people are good. A large portion of the running time is establishing how detestable these customers are. This is conveyed by Ralph Fiennes in this first half. His monologues about the different courses and their meanings are absolutely spine-tingling. The problem is that lengthy monologues and conversations are all the first half has to offer.  To its benefit, this half introduces one of the film's best character dynamics involving Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult. Hoult gets some of the film's biggest laughs playing a fool who thinks he is smarter than he actually is. 

The screenplay by Reiss and Tracy takes time to unveil that there are no heroes in this story. The film's darker scenes send audiences in a different emotional direction than expected. Once Slowik reveals the menu, the horror elements reveal themselves.  When the characters’ fight for their lives begins, The Menu succeeds in becoming quite entertaining.  

Director Mylod allows the tension to simmer until it reaches a visceral explosion. After the metaphorical explosion occurs, the satire becomes merciless. The points Slowik wants to make about the upper class are not subtle but delivered in thrilling ways. What the evening turns into is horrifying but the humor remains consistent. All of these people are wicked and get a comeuppance in some capacity. Between rapid-fire jokes and darkly comedic violence, The Menu remains unpredictable entertainment. 

The Menu is a delicious meal for a film for this Thanksgiving holiday. A shaky screenplay keeps the film from being a delicacy but remains tasty thanks to a very impressive cast. The message left me with a very strong reaction after the credits rolled. If fifteen to twenty minutes were trimmed, we could have been talking about one of the year's best films. What audiences end up with is nothing more than a very entertaining one. As a piece of counter-programming to hopeful Oscar films, The Menu delivers exciting cinematic flavors.

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