Review: Ratatouille

It's been said that Pixar, for all its computer generated wizardry, invested its money where it really counts: the storytellers.

Based on the reviews, it seemed Ratatouille would be about a rat that loves to eat. But instead, it becomes a story about a rat that wants to be a great cook, inspired by a cookbook "Anyone Can Cook".

Like many of its Disney cartoon predecessors, it's about a child rebelling against his upbringing. I wonder where this theme is uniquely American. Many cultures place a premium on parental authority and parental love. The kids do what the parents say (in principle) because parents know best. In such societies, elders are held with a good deal of respect.

Once upon a time, before Pixar took over, Disney cartoons often featured a female protagonist, typically wide-eyed and dreamy, but tough and independent, with a disapproving father who eventually realizes the daughter can do whatever she wants, and that's not such a bad thing after all.

Pixar has had a very tough time with that idea. When guys dominate an industry, despite being married, despite having daughters, they invariably write stories with male protagonists, mostly because they observe themselves well, but not women so well, and thus, presumably, they'd write a story that lacked truth or at the very least some verisimilitude of authenticity.

Thus, Toy Story, two male leads. The Incredibles, a male lead and a male enemy. A Bug's Life, male lead. Finding Nemo, two males, and one female. The female is, unusually enough, a kind of comic relief.

Pixar films generally succeed on two fronts. First, they are fabulous to look at. They look realer than real. Even if you aren't engaged in the story, it's fantastic to watch. Second, the stories are fun, because they often appeal to childlike fears and hopes.

Given how most of these films seem to suggest that child knows best, parents love it, perhaps because they can relate to it like a child.

Ratatouille covers a bunch of themes. There's the big one: anyone can cook, even a rat, which is more generally, you can do anything you set your mind to, or more properly, genius can come from anywhere. Second idea is: be good to your friends, no matter who they are. Thus, Linguini, the hapless kid, who can't cook a lick, eventually gives credit where credit is due. Third idea is: family matters, even if they don't understand what's going on. Finally, you're going to suffer setbacks, but persevere.

Oh yes, then there's art, and there's art! Art is meant to be surprising and a revelation, and true to theme number one, anyone can do it (meaning, of course, anyone that's a genius can do it).

Beyond the themes, there's the need for a romance, though romance has never been a Pixar strong suit. Cars is the closest to being a romance, but really, it's about a hotshot kid that learns how to respect elders, and the female lead seems much older. That would be, nonetheless, an intriguing suggestion (young guys liking older women), but usually, the romance is a side story to the goals of the male lead. Indeed, the male's often have a purpose with their lives, and romance ain't it.

In Ratatouille, the only female falls for the gawky male. But really, this is mostly because we need someone who roots for the gawky male, besides Remy, the rat. You see, if it really were a romance, Colette might decide she and Linguini don't have that much in common. Linguini really can't cook, and it was a rat the whole time! But given that premise is so off-the-wall, it wouldn't fit in a normal romantic comedy plot.

Ultimately, what makes Pixar films work is they are so darn clever and thought out. When you work on a movie for years, you can figure out details that a quick movie, written in a few months, filmed in a month, often misses. From early scenes that lay the groundwork for later scenes, to the scenes of rats scampering up and down, to using the gauze effect of the chef's hat, to hair, rat fur, and so forth. There's a lot crammed into a film, and yet, if you're not paying attention, you can simply bathe in a fun story.

The one criticism I've read that's interesting is a comment about accents. Indeed, despite being in Paris, only the real cooks sound French, and fake French at that. Remy, Linguini, the rats, all have American accents. Even so, the critic is British (voiced by Peter O'Toole).

Ratatouille is a dense film, filled with lots of stuff, even if perhaps it's not a particularly deep film. Indeed, most of the characters, other than Remy himself, are basically caricatures. That's where animation can generally be lazy: characterization. Of course, it's for the kids! We're not about to do a Lone Star, John Sayles, multi-character, fare.

This is a idea driven story, and although the characters are likable, they aren't particularly deep, not like, say, Finding Nemo.

Even so, the newness of it all, the desire, like Anton, the critic, to be dazzled, often leaves senses aglow, making you think this was the best one yet, when indeed, it was just a passing fancy, lovely to behold, but fading as time passes.