Julie and Julia

Watched Julie and Julia on Watch Instantly last night while I worked on beading two tape dispensers.

I know everyone -- I mean everyone -- has said that the Julie half of the movie is terribly annoying and the Julia half is just great. And I agree that the Julia Child part was fabulous. Meryl Streep disappeared into the role and you just fell totally in love with Julia Child. But I didn't find the Julie part that bad. Yes, she was whiny and kind of insipid, but I actually appreciated the way the two stories were juxtaposed, and I don't know that Julia part would have worked so much on its own, without the framing device of Julie's immersion in her work, her love of cooking and her discovery, late in life, of what she was truly good at.

In fact, what I liked the most about the movie was how deeply it took you into the love of cooking, and I know it's super-duper corny, but the overall message of how rewarding and important it is to find something you love to do and not let go. Of course, it apparently helps to have a wonderful, patient, supportive husband...

All in all I liked the movie as a whole and wasn't that bothered by the self-indulgent Julie character.