Starring: Martina Gedeck,
Maxime Foerste Director: Sandra Nettelbeck
Rating: PG
Studio: Paramount
Review
Posted: 2.20.03
Spoilers: None
By
Dennis Landmann
The
Movie
Martha (Martina
Gedeck) is the chef at a chic German restaurant and has a knack
for cooking. Her abilities have no limit and life seems to be
all about her passion, but when an unexpected family accident
occurs, her life is thrown out of order. Her sister leaves
behind 8 year-old Lina (Maxime Foerste) who makes a new home in
Martha's apartment. As Martha tries to adjust to this change and
act as Lina's mother figure, she becomes a kind of different
person. At work, she finds new kitchen chef Mario (Sergio
Castellitto) unwelcome, but with time spent in the kitchen she
slowly develops a romance with
him that is not only about love but also about the food.
Martha's life has changed for the
better, which writer/director
Sandra Nettelbeck showcases in this little gem of a romantic
movie. Gedeck's performance is multi-layered, because at times
she feels and acts confused, sad, or/and joyful. Her performance
makes the character all the more believable, but it also lets
the audience draw a connection. The supporting cast does a good
job as well.
Mostly Martha,
originally titled Bella Martha in Germany, benefits from
its script and acting, but a taste of the food ingredients make
it a special little treat. If there is one small setback in this
film it would have to be the pace, yet a story like this
requires patience. Patience and the love for good are two of the
requirements this film asks of us. I seemed to have both.
8 out of 10
The
Video
The source of this transfer feels
like it was taken directly from a VHS, but I might be wrong. In
any case, the quality is mostly mediocre. Scratches and blurs
show up in quite a lot of scenes, but didn't have much of an
impact because the film wasn't visually driven.
7 out of 10
The
Audio
Available in German 5.1
Surround sound, the transfer only does a seeming job. On par
with the video, this is not an audio driven film. Most of the
audio comes from the front speakers and once or twice I noticed
the rear speakers come to life. Despite its lack of ultimate
use, the transfer earns a grade above average.
7 out of 10
The
Extras
English subtitles are not
considered extras, but for a German film they are a necessity.
Unless you understand German, like I do, you probably wouldn't
care much for them.
2 out of 10
Overall
Mostly Martha is a small
and quiet film, yet it managed to evoke enough fun and romance
to make for good entertainment. The DVD features mediocre
video/audio quality and an abundance of extras, but the film
itself is worth of a rental.
