'The Recipe for Happiness' is a French drama about a chef returning to her roots to find the taste of life. French passions, family crises, and nostalgia—mix and season with music!

The French drama 'The Recipe for Happiness' (Partir un jour) launched in Russian theaters as the opening film of the Cannes Festival and immediately stirred up cinephiles: is it just another gastronomic sketch glorifying brie cheese, or something more?

Culinary world star Cécile, glowing after winning the 'Top Chef' show and anticipating the opening of a restaurant in Paris, suddenly returns to her native French countryside. The reasons are purely family-related—her father has had a heart attack, and the daughter, though pregnant, is forced to dive into the atmosphere of her homeland. Here, of course, an old romantic interest resurfaces: auto mechanic Raphaël, whose vibe for the heroine is apparently as attractive as Parisian molecular cuisine.

Here begins the salad of genres and meanings. Director Amélie Bonnin seems to be conducting an experiment: can you combine a drama about family problems, a lighthearted musical (the film literally greets the viewer with a lazy cover of Alors on Danse), and food porn in the style of 'The Kitchen' to create, if not a masterpiece, then at least something palatable?

Nadezhda Vasilyeva

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Open material

The film is literally saturated with nostalgia. The visuals, music, and gastronomic scenes are all designed to make the viewer suddenly remember the taste of grandma's charlotte or long for childhood, even if not French. But the trouble is: at times the presentation looks polished to sterility—everything is too meticulously done.

The main character Cécile (Juliette Armanet) tries to balance between the dream of Parisian fame, family drama, and suddenly overwhelming obligations. Her father is a living symbol of stubbornness, but is sketched schematically, like the rest. Even the love interest Raphaël—a reliable guy, but lacks character.

Musical, romance, family drama (and even hints of comedy). The film darts between genre tropes like a waiter with a tray at a banquet for 100 people. In the end, it all feels more like a karaoke evening—fun, but doesn't reach catharsis.

At times, the film seems too 'safe'. The script offers no revelations: neither in the kitchen nor beyond. All plot twists are predictable long before they appear on screen, and the characters' moral dilemmas are on the surface. Yes, there are a couple of well-placed lines about choosing between career and family, but there's no desire to worry about the characters.

'The Recipe for Happiness' is a film for those who are not looking for fresh solutions in the category of auteur cinema. Pleasant soundtrack, charming main character, warm visuals—everything is in place. But emotions and interesting dynamics are lacking. The film leaves a feeling of 'it was beautiful, smelled delicious, but I didn't get full.' Sometimes such a spectacle is also a kind of therapy.

'The Recipe for Happiness' in theaters from August 21