The Menu (2022)

Directed by Mark Mylod. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo, Janet McTeer, Paul Adelstein, Hong Chau, Aimee Carrero, Judith Light, Arturo Castro, Rob Yang, Mark St. Cyr, Reed Birney, Christina Brucato. [R]

Deliciously devilish satirical black comedy delivers a withering take-down of various elitist stereotypes, from ultra-privileged “tech bros” to narcissistic actors, leaving the audience to wonder who the real villain is (in the absence of a true hero, can there even be villains?). A group of rich, spoiled diners arrive at a private island where Fiennes’ celebrated celebrity chef, Julian Slowik, operates; he has prepared a themed multicourse meal for them to taste and savor (not to “eat”), but long before dessert is served, the highbrows discover a diabolical scheme is in action, and it’s not going to end well for them. As meticulous as it is malicious, scribes Seth Reiss and Will Tracy (talented television writers working in the medium of film for the first time) and director Mylod (also much better known for his work in television) know the material well—foodie culture, ritzy pomposity, cult of personality, egotistical critics, etc.—and eviscerates their pretentiousness to the hilt. Fiennes is a scowly delight, as enigmatic as he is menacing, but there are no weak links in the ensemble, including Taylor-Joy as a last-minute replacement date for Slowik-fanboy Hoult, Chau as a loyal maître d’-slash-enforcer, and McTeer as a snobbishly out-of-touch food critic (think: a cross between the restaurant critic from Ratatouille and the theater critic from Birdman). It’s caustically funny, self-deprecating and judgmental without being heavy-handed, the metaphors are more clever than obvious, and it ends in a way that’s flawed yet satisfying (I smiled, but it abandons credulity a step too far). I was also puzzled by Hoult’s behavior and level of understanding once one of the twists is revealed, but no matter—the conduct of many of the patrons is heightened into the absurd for the sake of a good show. Co-produced by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell.

81/100