The Menu
Year: 2022
Rating: R
Length: 107 minutes / 1.78 hours
I want to chastise the advertisers of The Menu (2022) for making me almost miss this gem of a movie. I usually pass on horror films, so the ads for this one made me think that the “twist” would be something more like Soylent Green (1973). Instead, I was given the treat of a wildly dark comedy that plays off all the prestige and pompousness of foodies and high-concept restaurants. Sure, some moments are horrific during their brief appearances, but I would hardly put this movie in the horror category. The Menu has something to say and is actually quite funny about how it does it.
What makes The Menu work is definitely because of the performances of its top-billed actors. Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicholas Hoult all act their hearts out, likely adding to how funny this satirical take on foodie culture ended up being. Almost as a bonus, this film is not even entirely about the problems with the kinds of people who go to these types of restaurants. Addressing the critical nature of the culinary arts, sexual harassment in the workplace, and the gatekeeping of “event dining,” The Menu is seriously smarter than it has any right to be.
It’s honestly not surprising that the modern king of satire, Adam McKay, was involved with this movie. While he may not have directed, I definitely see hints of his other satirical works present here. And while The Menu isn’t nearly as silly as Don’t Look Up (2021) or the cutaways in The Big Short (2015), that it plays so much of its comedy as a straight parody of fine dining is what makes it wildly hilarious. Ultimately, if you passed on this movie because you thought horror isn’t for you, try it as a (more accurate) dark comedy satire.
A brilliant dark comedy satire of foodies and fine dining, I give The Menu 5.0 stars out of 5.
