La Cucina DVD Review

La Cucina debuted on Showtime last week and is set to release just in time for Valentine’s Day on DVD January 12th from Anthem Pictures.  This movie offers a charming story about love, relationships and food and stars Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”) in her film debut, international star Joaquim de Almeida (“The Burning Plain”, “24″) and supermodel turned actress Rachel Hunter (A Walk in the Park”) and Showtime’s “L Word” pin-up girl Leisha Hailey.

From Directors Allison R. Hebble and Zed Starkovich, Lily (Hendricks) is a young 30s women in a budding relationship with a man (de Almeida) 17 years her senior.  They are engaged in a deeply involved pre-dinner conversation about relationships, pasts, presents and what is to come.

Shelly (Leisha Hailey) is a young woman, seven months pregnant, worried about what is to come of her life and her marriage now that her husband won’t see her as his hot, sexy wife.  She shares her worries with apartment neighbor Jude (Hunter), a lesbian who seems to have a lot to offer Shelly in terms of advice for her conventional situation.  As the movie carries on, Jude unearths that there is more to Shelly’s concern than just her concerns about her husband.

La Cucina is a very low-key, but intriguing introspective look at new relationships and growing relationships.  Obviously intended and likely to interest a largely female audience, the film does have a lot to offer in terms of relationships for both genders.  Jude is particularly insightful and shares advice that anyone can benefit from.  Her character is probably the most endearing.

Now that she has entered her 30s, Lily is trying to figure out whether she wants a marriage or kids and how does dating an older many effect things?  The drama in La Cucina is intense, but it is presented in a very calm and realistic setting – with conversations in the kitchen between the various characters wrapped up in their relationships dilemmas.

There is some brief , but graphic sexuality, but otherwise, La Cucina is a tastefully presented relationship drama that will appeal to women and maybe even a few men.

MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 98 Minutes
DVD Release Date: January 12, 2010

Grade: B+

Director: Allison R. Hebble, Zed Starkovich
Starring: Christina Hendricks, Joaquim de Almeida, Rachel Hunter, Leisha Hailey

DVD Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

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