Julie & Julia: Uniting Generations

PASSIONS | by KAT SPELLMAN

© SONY PICTURES

IT’S A RARE FILMGOER, or woman for that matter, who’s clueless about the recent movie Julie & Julia. With Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep headlining, it follows the lives of culinary legend Julia Child and zealous home cook/frustrated secretary Julie Powell.

Nora Ephron shines at serving up delicious “chick flicks” like “Sleepless in Seattle” and “When Harry Met Sally”. This summer she’s written and directed the first major motion picture in history based on a blog. Why is this telling?  Because to “bleaders” today (that’s tech speak for readers of a blog), a blog is what a tasty book was to the women of 1961, the year Julia Child’s bible, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I”, was first published.

Boomer women grew up watching Julia on public television while the new generation of Millennial and GenX home cooks and aspiring foodies consume “foodertainment”. Both relate to this film, which capitalizes on the popularity of cooking ― witness growing presence, including entire TV networks, reality shows, radio programs, satellite channels, magazines and blogs all dedicated to the topic.

Efron’s savvy offers real women the kind of film they’re yearning for right now: a beyond-the-chick-flick “women’s movie” with a story that connects and bonds generations over something as good and elemental as a simple roasted chicken.