#Ratatouille movie analysis full#

Linguine stumbles around with a goofy elasticity that adds to some of the movieРІР‚в„ўs most laugh-out-loud moments. Ratatouille is also very funny, playing on humor that is more slapstick in tone than any Pixar entry before it. ItРІР‚в„ўs almost James Bond-like in its construction, and goes to prove that the movie isnРІР‚в„ўt only concerned with what goes on inside the kitchen. In one sequence, the crooked Chef Skinner (voiced by the late Ian Holm) chases Remy through crowded streets and into the River Seine in what is a perfect example of RatatouilleРІР‚в„ўs seamless marrying of visuals, soundtrack and storytelling. Michael GiacchinoРІР‚в„ўs fast-paced, French-inspired music expertly complements the urgency of the kitchen among a typically-relaxed Paris, and serves to heighten the sense of danger when proceedings do occasionally leave the doors of GusteauРІР‚в„ўs. Who knew carrots could look so delicious? If RatatouilleРІР‚в„ўs goal is to make you appreciate the beauty of food, it achieves this and then some. Despite taking place almost entirely in the brass belly of a Paris restaurant, the Pixar animators did a fantastic job of capturing the romance of the French capital and, in particular, its culinary heart РІР‚вЂњ from the warm yellow hues of bread and cheese to the rich red tones of grapes, tomatoes and wine. Really, itРІР‚в„ўs something of a visual marvel. That means the movie finds other ways of maintaining the attention of its audience. If youРІР‚в„ўll allow the wordplay, when it comes to questions of sentiment and morality, Ratatouille provides food for thought without overcooking things. The themes explored here are universal, and they donРІР‚в„ўt pre-occupy the entire narrative (despite how many times we hear GusteauРІР‚в„ўs old adage, РІР‚Сљanyone can cookРІР‚Сњ).

ThatРІР‚в„ўs not to say Ratatouille lacks meaning РІР‚вЂњ RemyРІР‚в„ўs talent proves we shouldnРІР‚в„ўt judge a book by its cover РІР‚вЂњ itРІР‚в„ўs just less reliant on the emotional engagement of the viewer. (Image credit: Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation)

All these movies, by the way, are excellent РІР‚вЂњ but Ratatouille is unique because its resonance isnРІР‚в„ўt bound by the age or experience of its audience. Toy Story plays on identity and the inevitability of change, while Finding Nemo goes-for-broke on its message of trust and perseverance. Up, for example, is a tear-jerking tale of love and loss (who could forget that opening sequence?), Wall-E a didactic warning against consumerism and Coco a thoughtful examination of culture and death. ThatРІР‚в„ўs because the story of a sewer rat with a penchant for parsley is more subtle with its choice of themes, at least when compared to the saccharine-laced narratives weРІР‚в„ўve come to expect from the studio.

#Ratatouille movie analysis full#

ItРІР‚в„ўs not full of songs and spectacle like some of its siblings, and it doesnРІР‚в„ўt try to hit those big emotional beats that other Pixar movies have so effectively touched on to reduce grown-ups to tears. My fondness of Ratatouille can be boiled down to this: itРІР‚в„ўs the most remarkable of Pixar movies for being so effectively unremarkable.