Hey friends,

These past few weeks have been quite busy for me as we power through to the end of the semester. Like all of you, I’ve been juggling a social life, academics, clubs and more, all while trying to enjoy the sunnier weather. As a way to relax, my roommate and I reverted back to our old ways and started watching movies together over the weekends. The most recent movie we watched was “The Menu” and was so jaw-droppingly unexpected that I decided to share my thoughts with all of you. 

So upon my latest discovery, I have multiple different opinions about whether or not I enjoyed this movie. “The Menu,” starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes and Nicholas Hoult, centers on a slightly complex yet entertaining plot. Chef Slowik, our antagonist, is a world-famous chef who has gained a prestige for his love of creating meaningful dishes that his clients will enjoy. Over the years, his reputation allowed for his dishes to become increasingly more complex and higher in demand, attracting only the wealthiest clientele. 

The art of cooking loses its meaning as Chef Slowik has lost his love for the craft. His guests don’t appreciate the time and effort he spends creating masterful pieces for them to enjoy. The shocking turn of events comes when it is revealed that Chef Slowik’s guests for that evening will not be making it out alive, in a twisted way, to end the torment he’s experienced as a burnt-out artist. 

Each death in this film is shocking as the individual motives behind each guest’s reason for being there become painfully clear. An older wealthy couple was one of his regulars, yet couldn’t even name what they ate the last time they dined at his exclusive restaurant. A movie star and his date were included for simply becoming exactly what Chef Slowik was — an artist who lost their passion. A group of men who economically cheat and swindle people out of money are there to answer for their actions. A food critic was invited due to her notorious tendency to shut down restaurants and ruin people’s careers. But the final couple consists of our protagonist, Margot, and her date, Tyler. Tyler was the one who invited Margot, but the two previously had not met. Tyler’s original date cancelled last minute, and in order to dine at Chef Slowik’s restaurant, you need to bring a guest. 

From the start of the film, Margot is separate from the rest of the group. Unlike the others, she was the only one who did not match their level of wealth and greed. The other guests all had one thing in common — they were bad people who ruined Ched Slowik’s love of the craft. Margot was not originally meant to be there, and in fact was the only one who also worked in the service industry. Chef Slowik takes note of this immediately and, through his delusion, bonds with her over their mutual loss of passion and motivation. Their guests were the very thing that kept them in their line of work, yet became their undoing in the end. 

Throughout the heavy themes of death and horror, there are quite a few comedic lines that keep the viewers entertained and lighten the overall tone. As the film progresses, the guests all begin to accept the fact that there is no escape and they are all going to die that night. All of the guests know their reason for punishment as Chef Slowik slowly reveals their unethical morals through clever dish titles and performances. However, since Margot was not the initial intended date of Tyler, Chef Slowik’s plan and perfectly crafted evening were thrown for a loop. 

To counter this, he initially invites Margot to be on “his side” of the restaurant, meaning a service worker. She hesitantly accepts in a futile attempt to escape the evening alive. But her efforts were no match for Chef Slowik’s descent into insanity. His intended outcome for the evening was that no one would survive, not even himself. 

The movie deals with contrasting moods as the horror of knowing you’re going to be killed is presented in a high-class dining room with fancy utensils, music and tables adorned with white tablecloths and candles. The seemingly normal restaurant on a private island is exclusive to only the best of the best, yet the horror is depicted through each guest’s physical state. The characters become increasingly distressed with tear-stained faces and tattered clothing from attempts to escape. 

Margot’s character is extremely well-crafted. Her flaws intertwine with her inner turmoil of wanting to survive the cursed night. In order to fully dissect her, I have to spoil the ending a bit, so if you want to be surprised, this is your warning. Margot ends up as the only survivor, but not because she was spared. Her wit and quick thinking alone, mixed with Chef Slowik’s twisted view of the art of cooking, allowed her character to figure out how to best manipulate Slowik into compliance. 

We find out towards the end of the film that Chef Slowik used to be a line cook at a simple burger shop. Understanding the reason Slowik is punishing his guests, Margot tries one last attempt at survival — asking for a simple cheeseburger. But this cheeseburger represents more than the classic food most people know well. It represents his love of the craft and a time when Chef Slowik was truly passionate about making food that he knew his guests would enjoy. 

Chef Slowik is completely thrown off by this request, but he surprisingly complies and spends time specifically crafting a traditional cheeseburger just as she requested. He delivers it by hand, separating the cheeseburger from the previous dishes of the night which had all been crafted and delivered by a team of cooks. By creating this himself, just as his guest so urgently requested, Margot ignited a spark in this tortured artist for the final time. 

She cleverly asks for the dish to go, and surprisingly, Chef Slowik agrees. Margot remained the only survivor simply because she was the only one to truly understand how it feels to lose your passion. 

I’ve seen a lot of negative reviews of this movie, and I don’t necessarily understand why. This film has layers and meaning behind each slight action. It touches on the corruption of wealth and the upsetting notion that artists’ enjoyment of their crafts can be heavily attributed to how much their audiences approve and enjoy it. A painter works for the adornment of the public, and a sculptor creates pieces in hopes the subject will approve. Musicians compose music to be listened to, and a cook creates for the satisfaction of their hungry guests.

The idea that a corrupted and psychotic artist can turn on their loyal followers creates the perfect grounds for the genre of horror. Touching on morality, wealth, the service industry and greed, “The Menu” is a perfect depiction of modern society. 

If you haven’t seen the film, I highly encourage you to enjoy it and form your own opinions, as each person interprets art differently. 

Thanks for reading this week’s installment. Until next time.