As a foodie, I am naturally drawn to shows about chefs. Watching the trailer for La Cocina, I was intrigued. La Cocina seems to marry the adrenaline of service with the drama of the players involved.
In a era where we manipulate colours with the switch of a filter, the film’s monotone aesthetic is refreshing. The film is shot completely in black and white, bar for a few scenes where a dash of colour is used. This was a surprisingly effective device.
As the greys of furiously working chefs whirr past on the screen, the disorienting chaos of lunch service is heightened. Similarly, in the quiet moments, you get stunningly striking portraits of characters.
And what characters.
At the centre of it all is Pedro. Pedro’s life might normally be simply dismissed as an undocumented worker but his existence highlights the power dynamics at play in the commercial kitchen.
You have Pedro the hardworking immigrant chef who dreams of attaining that elusive green card. Despite the long hours, he maintains a friendly disposition although his smart mouth does get him in trouble. He is also the nurturing, foster brother who takes the new foreign hire under his wing. He may be dating one of the waitresses (where else would he find love when he works all day in the kitchen) but he is protective of the boundary between chef and server. It is this adherence to restrictions that triggers the cacophonous ending.
Throughout the movie, you see him swing from genial to introspective to simply enraged. All in a day’s work. All beautifully captured in grayscale.
Unfortunately, as effective as the black and white is to highlight the chaos and the intense moments, it also exacerbates the slow pace of some scenes. There were a few moments throughout this movie where my mind wandered and I found myself distracted.
Even the grand finale, which is ridiculously entertaining, felt too drawn out. Watching it play out was cathartic but there were so many parts that I felt could have been shortened to make for a a tighter. more impactful conclusion.
Similarly, there is a scene during the staff break where characters are discussing their hopes and dreams which would have been so much more powerful if my attention was held firmly in place. It was only on rewatching the movie that I was able to connect two plot points.
La Cocina is definitely not a movie you casually watch. If you choose to watch this movie, go in prepared to fully take in the spectacle and patiently sift through each moment. The social critique within the movie is worthy food for thought.
La Cocina opens 15th May at Luna Leederville.