The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover Review

Most people don't have the time, money, or energy to watch a lot of movies, so when you do get a chance to watch something, you want it to be good. That's why Rotten Tomatoes exists: to give a snapshot of whether a movie is worth your time. But does it always work? I'll be watching all of Rotten Tomatoes’ Certified Fresh movies from this Wikipedia list starting in the year 1990, the decade I was born, and we'll see if these movies are really worth the hype.

Movie 5 of 1990:

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, directed by Peter Greenaway, is a very dark comedy with a lot of artistic merit. Upon release, this was given the dreaded NC-17 rating, which is almost unheard of today. This, of course, means the movie was most likely underseen at the time due to the inaccessibility of something with that rating. That is a shame because this one is incredibly visually interesting and unlike anything I've really seen before.

The production design and costume design were stunning. I loved how each room was assigned a color, and some of the costumes would change color to go along with that. My favorite was the transition from the blood red dining room to the stark white restroom. The score was also unique and something that I would now find instantly recognizable.

The movie starts off with an explosive beginning. We are introduced to the titular thief Albert (Michael Gambon) showing his brutality to an associate in a very disgusting way. He then goes on to berate our cook, Richard (Richard Bohringer), the head chef of a new restaurant that he has acquired with his shady money. The two are at odds from the very beginning because Albert is essentially a poser when it comes to gourmet cuisine, trying to play off like he knows food better than trained professionals.

His wife Georgina (Helen Mirren) is here too; she is dressed beautifully and has the essence of a very rich trophy wife, but it becomes blatantly obvious that Albert does not treat her well. Of the two in this relationship, Georgina has the more refined palette, something that Albert never attempts to develop. She is an intellectual who is stuck in an abusive relationship with a chaotic brute. She can find solace, however, when she meets a lover at the restaurant, Michael (Alan Howard).

The majority of the film plays as a slapstick comedy. We have Albert harassing the restaurant staff, his wife, and his associates in exceedingly over-the-top ways. Georgina and Michael, meanwhile, are trying to find any time they can to be together, nearly getting caught by Albert on several occasions. As the cruel behavior escalates, the tone turns into that of a thriller and then a revenge flick.

Many of the actions in this film are quite disturbing, including Georgina's tragic backstory and Albert's fixation on tormenting a child who works in the restaurant. With that being said, I don't think this movie would receive an NC-17 rating today. It's disheartening to know that the rating was given most likely due to nudity instead of the violence portrayed, as I have seen more graphic violence in plenty of older war movies. I do think that these elements were important to the story being told and to the tone that the director was going for, so I'm glad they weren't censored.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

Is it worth the hype?:

It definitely is! Every element added to the vibe of the piece, from the acting to the design to the music. The directing was especially effective, and the long takes, which transitioned smoothly from room to room, were excellent. Give this a shot if you enjoy dark comedy and can handle some gross and disturbing elements.