We just returned from watching Julie & Julia, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Certainly fun and easy-going. If you too are exploring blogging as a creative outlet, or as a medium from which to express your creativity in other areas, then you might be able to relate to it and enjoy it that much more, as we did.

The movie was entertaining, mostly well paced, and I was slightly disappointed when it ended. Usually I’m checking my watch, but not this time, which is credit to the movie. I found the acting t0 be great. Amy Adams was very cute and adept at her character portrayal of Julie Powell (her real blog, in fact, and her Julie/Julia blog here). Critics are saying that Meryl Streep stole the show, and I suppose she did, but stealing the show kind of goes with the territory of portraying a larger-than-life personality. That said, she deftly maintained the character without going over the top, and thus indeed deserves enormous credit.

This movie, about a forlorn blogger looking for an identity and finding refuge in studying the encyclopedic work of Julia Child’s cooking, is an uncommon and therefore interesting subject that for the most part defies traditional formula. It’s not perfect; some scenes are over-done. The pacing around the mystery dinner guest, for example, was anti-climactic, but those few moments were nicely offset by unpredictably funny moments that I won’t spoil for you. Cannelloni anyone?

I recommend Julie & Julia to anyone who can in whole or in part relate to the subjects of cooking, blogging or youthful life identity crises, or is looking for a nice, easy, entertaining flick to share with a partner or friend. I suspect my wife and I will buy this movie when it comes out.

Bon appetit!