The Menu (2022 film)

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The Menu
The Menu (2022 film).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMark Mylod
Written by
  • Seth Reiss
  • Will Tracy
Story byWill Tracy
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPeter Deming
Edited byChristopher Tellefsen
Music byColin Stetson
Production
companies
Distributed bySearchlight Pictures
Release dates
  • September 10, 2022 (2022-09-10) (TIFF)
  • November 18, 2022 (2022-11-18) (United States)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million[1]
Box office$78.9 million[2][3]

The Menu is a 2022 American black comedy horror film[4][5] directed by Mark Mylod, written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, based on an original story created by Tracy, and produced by Adam McKay, Betsy Koch and Will Ferrell. It features an ensemble cast that includes Ralph Fiennes as a celebrity chef with Hong Chau playing his assistant and Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Janet McTeer, Reed Birney, Judith Light, and John Leguizamo playing diners who attend his exclusive restaurant.

The Menu had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2022, and was released in the United States on November 18, 2022, by Searchlight Pictures. The film grossed over $78 million worldwide on a budget of $30 million and received positive reviews from critics.

Plot

Foodie Tyler Ledford and his date, Margot Mills, travel by boat to Hawthorn, an exclusive restaurant owned and operated by celebrity chef Julian Slowik, located on a private island. The other guests attending the dinner are Lillian Bloom, a food critic; her editor Ted; wealthy regulars Richard and Anne Leibrandt; washed-up movie star George Diaz and his personal assistant Felicity; business partners Soren, Dave, and Bryce; and Slowik's alcoholic mother Linda. The group is given a tour of the island by the restaurant maître d'hôtel, Elsa, who notes that Margot was not Tyler's designated guest for the evening.

Dinner begins, and Chef Slowik introduces a series of courses, delivering increasingly unsettling monologues about each dish. For the third course, uncomfortable truths about each guest ranging from affairs to embezzlement are exposed via laser-printed images on tortillas. During the fourth course, Jeremy, a sous-chef, kills himself, causing a panic amongst the guests, except for Tyler. When Richard tries to leave, the staff cut off his ring finger. Hawthorn's angel investor Doug Verrick, to whom Slowik had to relinquish ownership of the restaurant to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, is then drowned. For the fifth course, which begins with Slowik allowing himself to be stabbed by Katherine, a female employee whom he sexually harassed, the female guests dine with Katherine while the male guests are given the chance to escape the island, but Slowik's staff catch all of them.

Slowik explains each guest was invited because they either contributed to him losing his passion for his craft or because they make a living off exploiting the work of artisans and workers like him and his team. He announces that everyone present will be dead by the end of the night. Since Margot's presence was unplanned, Slowik privately gives her the choice of dying either with the staff or the guests, and she chooses the former.

Margot is unmasked as an escort who has previously served Richard and whose real name is Erin. Slowik reveals that Tyler was invited to the dinner months in advance and informed the guests would be killed. Despite this, Tyler was so zealous in his desire to participate in Slowik's craft that he kept the secret and hired Margot to replace his ex-girlfriend for the evening because Hawthorn did not offer seating for parties of one. Slowik humiliates Tyler by forcing him to cook in front of everyone and insulting his food, then orders Tyler to hang himself.

Slowik asks Margot to go to the smokehouse and collect a barrel needed for dessert; as she leaves the kitchen, she sees Tyler's body. En route, Margot sneaks into Slowik's house, only to be attacked by a jealous Elsa. After a scuffle, Margot accidentally kills Elsa. After seeing a framed employee of the month award showing Slowik as a young and happy cook at a greasy spoon diner, Margot finds a radio, calls for help and returns to the restaurant with the barrel. A Coast Guard officer named Dale arrives from his boat, but after the guests are convinced they have been saved, he reveals himself to be a line cook in disguise and returns to the kitchen.

As dessert is being prepared, Margot mocks Slowik's dishes and "loveless" cooking, and complains that she is still hungry. When Slowik asks what she would like to eat, Margot requests a cheeseburger and fries. Moved by her humble request, Slowik does so, finding joy in creating the dish, and after one bite, she requests to take it "to go". Slowik and the staff allow her to leave. Margot takes the Coast Guard boat docked nearby and escapes the island.

The dessert is an elevated s'mores dish—the staff cover the floor with crushed graham crackers and adorn the guests with stoles made of marshmallows and hats made of chocolate. Slowik then sets the restaurant ablaze, detonating the barrel and killing the guests, staff, and himself. Safely away from the island, Margot eats her cheeseburger in silence while watching the restaurant burn, using a copy of the menu to wipe her mouth.

Cast

Production

Development

Will Tracy dined at Cornelius Sjømatrestaurant, an island restaurant outside Bergen, Norway, during a honeymoon and later suggested a story to Seth Reiss inspired by the experience.[6][7] Several figures from the world of fine dining were brought on as consultants for the film, including food designer Dominique Crenn, who recreated several dishes from her San Francisco restaurant Atelier Crenn for the fictional restaurant Hawthorn, and second unit director David Gelb, who was brought on to recreate the filmmaking style from his Netflix docuseries Chef's Table.[8]

It was announced in April 2019 that Alexander Payne was attached to direct.[9] In December 2019, the screenplay appeared on the annual Black List, a survey showcasing the most popular films still in development.[10] By May 2020, Searchlight Pictures held the distribution rights, and Payne had left the film due to scheduling conflicts, with Mark Mylod replacing Payne as director.[11]

Casting

In April 2019, it was announced that Emma Stone and Ralph Fiennes would star in The Menu.[9][12]

In June 2021, Fiennes joined the cast. Anya Taylor-Joy entered negotiations and was confirmed in July to replace Stone, who had left due to commitments to other projects;[13][11] Hong Chau and Nicholas Hoult joined the cast the same month.[14][15] John Leguizamo,[16] Janet McTeer,[17] Judith Light,[18] Reed Birney,[19] Rob Yang,[20] and Aimee Carrero joined in September.[21] In October, Paul Adelstein, Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr, Rebecca Koon and Peter Grosz were confirmed as parts of the ensemble.[22]

Filming and post-production

Filming began on September 3, 2021, in Savannah, Georgia, with cinematographer Peter Deming.[23] and film editor Christopher Tellefsen.[22] Film locations include the Jekyll Island shore.[24]

Colin Stetson composed the musical score, released by Milan Records as The Menu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) on November 18, coinciding with the film's release.[25]

Release

The Menu premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2022,[26] and also made its US premiere at Fantastic Fest that month.[27] It was released November 18, 2022 in the United States in 3,211 theaters, the widest release in Searchlight's history.[28]

The film was released to digital platforms on January 3, 2023, with a Blu-ray and DVD release by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on January 17, 2023.[29]

Reception

Box office

As of January 24, 2023, The Menu has grossed $38.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $40.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $78.9 million.[2][3]

In the United States and Canada, The Menu was released alongside She Said.[30][31] It made $3.6 million on its first day, including $1 million from Wednesday and Thursday night previews. The film went on to debut to $9 million, finishing second behind holdover Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.[1] Over its second weekend, The Menu made $5.5 million (and a total of $7.6 million over the five-day Thanksgiving frame), finishing fifth.[32] During its third weekend, the film made $3.5 million, finishing fourth.[33]

Critical response

Fiennes' performance as Chef Slowik was praised by critics

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 89% of 305 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's consensus reads, "While its social commentary relies on basic ingredients, The Menu serves up black comedy with plenty of flavor."[34] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 71 out of 100, based on 45 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[35]

Accolades

Accolades for The Menu
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result
Fantastic Fest[36] September 27, 2022 Audience Award The Menu Won
Hollywood Music in Media Awards[37] November 16, 2022 Best Original Score in a Horror Film Colin Stetson Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association[38] December 18, 2022 Best Original Screenplay Seth Reiss and Will Tracy Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society[39] January 6, 2023 Best Actor Ralph Fiennes Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Seth Reiss and Will Tracy Nominated
Best Ensemble The Menu Nominated
Golden Globe Awards[40] January 10, 2023 Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Ralph Fiennes Nominated
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Anya Taylor-Joy Nominated
Georgia Film Critics Association[41] January 13, 2023 Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema Mark Mylod, Seth Reiss, Will Tracy Runner-up
London Film Critics' Circle[42] February 5, 2023 British/Irish Actor of the Year (for body of work) Ralph Fiennes Pending
Satellite Awards[43] February 11, 2023 Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Ralph Fiennes Pending
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild[44] February 11, 2023 Best Contemporary Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture Deborah LaMia Denaver, Mazena Puksto, Donna Cicatelli, Deb Rutherford Pending
Best Contemporary Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture Adruitha Lee, Monique Hyman, Kate Loftis, Barbara Sanders Pending
Hollywood Critics Association Creative Arts Awards[45] February 17, 2023 Best Casting Director Mary Vernieu and Bret Howe Pending
Hollywood Critics Association Awards[46] February 24, 2023 Best Comedy The Menu Pending
Best Original Screenplay Seth Reiss and Will Tracy Pending

References

  1. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 20, 2022). "'Wakanda Forever' Posts $67M Second Weekend; 'The Menu' Rises Over 'Chosen'; No Noise For 'She Said' – Sunday Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "The Menu". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved January 25, 2023.Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ^ a b "The Menu (2022) – Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  4. ^ "The Menu". BBFC. Retrieved January 14, 2023. The Menu is a horror comedy{...]
  5. ^ "The Menu (2022)". Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  6. ^ Late Night with Seth Meyers (November 16, 2022). "Seth Reiss and Will Tracy Share How Foodie Culture Inspired The Menu". YouTube. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  7. ^ Avalle, Nico (November 18, 2022). "Now Why Would Any Chef Want to Murder Their Diners? A Talk With The Menu Creators". Bon Appetit. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  8. ^ Moskin, Julia (November 17, 2022). "'The Menu' Serves Fine Dining on a Skewer". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 9, 2019). "Hot Project Du Jour: Emma Stone, Ralph Fiennes, Alexander Payne On The Menu". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  10. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Ramos, Dino-Ray (December 16, 2019). "The Black List 2019 Screenplays Unveiled & Ranked: Ken Kobayashi's Frozen-Time Romance Move On Tops List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  11. ^ a b Kroll, Justin (May 28, 2020). "Searchlight and Adam McKay Tap Successions' Mark Mylod to Direct The Menu (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  12. ^ White, Abbey (November 24, 2022). "How 'The Menu' Explores Ego and Exploitation in Fine Dining". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  13. ^ Kroll, Justin (June 7, 2021). "Anya Taylor-Joy And Ralph Fiennes To Headline Searchlight's The Menu". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  14. ^ Kroll, Justin (July 19, 2021). "Hong Chau Joins Anya Taylor-Joy And Ralph Fiennes In Searchlight's The Menu". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  15. ^ Kroll, Justin (July 29, 2021). "Nicholas Hoult To Co-Star Opposite Anya Taylor-Joy In Searchlight's The Menu". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  16. ^ Cordero, Rosy (August 19, 2021). "John Leguizamo Joins Anya Taylor-Joy & Ralph Fiennes In Searchlight's The Menu". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  17. ^ Galuppo, Mia; Kit, Borys (August 24, 2021). "Janet McTeer Joins Anya Taylor-Joy in Searchlight Dark Comedy The Menu (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  18. ^ Donnelly, Matt (August 30, 2021). "Judith Light Joins Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes in Searchlight's The Menu (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on August 30, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  19. ^ Lang, Brent (September 1, 2021). "Reed Birney Joins Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes in Searchlight's The Menu (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  20. ^ Vlessing, Etan (September 1, 2021). "Rob Yang Joins Anya Taylor-Joy in Searchlight Dark Comedy The Menu (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  21. ^ Cordero, Rosy (September 2, 2021). "Aimee Carrero Boards Searchlight's The Menu". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  22. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 5, 2021). "The Menu: Paul Adelstein, Rob Yang, Arturo Castro & Others Are Searchlight Pic's Final Ingredients". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  23. ^ "The Menu Core Extras". Project Casting. August 5, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  24. ^ Hornaday, Ann (November 16, 2022). "Review - 'The Menu': A stylish takedown of elitism and fetishized food culture". Washington Post. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  25. ^ Danoff, Owen (November 7, 2022). "Listen To A New Track From Unique Horror Film The Menu [EXCLUSIVE]". ScreenRant. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  26. ^ "The Menu". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  27. ^ Zilko, Christian (August 16, 2022). "Fantastic Fest Headlined by Bones and All, Triangle of Sadness, and a Park Chan-wook Tribute". IndieWire. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  28. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 19, 2022). "Searchlight Rolling Out The Menu Before Thanksgiving". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  29. ^ Remley, Hilary (December 17, 2022). "'The Menu' Sets Digital, Blu-Ray & DVD Release Dates". Collider. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  30. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 16, 2022). "Wakanda Forever Clears $204M+, Eyes $70M+ 2nd Weekend As Counterprogramming Tries To Find Life – Box Office Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  31. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (November 16, 2022). "Wakanda Forever to Dominate Box Office Again With $72 Million-Plus as Weinstein Drama She Said and The Menu Eye Slow Starts". Variety. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  32. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 27, 2022). "'Wakanda Forever' Settles At $64M 5-Day, 'Strange World' Crashes $18M+, 'Knives Out 2' Wows With $13M+ – Thanksgiving Box Office Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  33. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 4, 2022). "'Wakanda Forever' Overperforms During Sleepy December Weekend; 'Violent Night' Too With $13M+ – Sunday Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  34. ^ "The Menu". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 23, 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  35. ^ "The Menu". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  36. ^ Taylor, Drew (September 27, 2022). "Fantastic Fest Awards Winners: Piggy, The Five Devils and The Menu Take Top Honors (Exclusive)". TheWrap.
  37. ^ Grein, Paul (November 3, 2022). "Rihanna, Lady Gaga & More Nominated for 2022 Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Full List". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  38. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 11, 2022). "The 2022 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". NextBestPicture. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  39. ^ "2022 San Diego Film Critics Society Nominations". San Diego Film Critics Society. January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  40. ^ Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (December 12, 2022). "Golden Globes 2023: Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  41. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 7, 2023). "2022 Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA) nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  42. ^ Pulver, Andrew (December 21, 2022). "The Banshees of Inisherin leads pack as London film critics announce nominations". The Guardian. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  43. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 8, 2022). "'Top Gun: Maverick' leads International Press Academy's 27th Satellite Awards nominations". Awards Watch. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  44. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 11, 2023). "Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards Nominations: 'The Batman', 'Elvis', 'The Whale' & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  45. ^ Moye, Clarence (December 8, 2022). "'Everything, Everywhere,' 'Top Gun' Lead Inaugural HCA Creative Arts Awards Nominations". Awards Daily. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  46. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 15, 2022). "6th Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards nominations: 'Everything Everywhere All At One,' 'The Banshees of Inisherin' lead". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 16, 2022.

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