There is an interesting story somewhere inside “Burnt,” directed by John Wells, but we never get to see it. The past exploits of Adam Jones, a bad boy, sunglasses-wearing, motorcycle-riding master chef played by Bradley Cooper, seem far more engrossing than his current situation.
In the present, Jones is cooking up a comeback from his dark past, shooting for the fabled third star next to his name to symbolize his ranking as one of the best chefs in the world. To achieve this goal, he gathers up a ragtag group of chefs from all around London to staff his kitchen. Some from his past like sous chef Michel, played by Omar Sy, and some from his exploration of London’s best restaurants, like Helene, played by Sienna Miller. Will Jones overcome his inner demons and achieve the perfect rank, or will he fall back into his old troubled ways?
By and large, the most frustrating aspect of “Burnt” is the story and how it is told. Certain plot points make little sense, such as how Jones affords his new kitchen while still owing debt to drug dealers, or how his staff performs horribly only to inexplicably get better without much change or training. The plot offers two twists in the final act and they both bombed in different ways. One makes no sense and offers more plot holes than shock value, and the other negates any tension that the film had been building up to. The end of the film is rather anticlimactic, which unfortunately highlights the weaker aspects of the plot, like these lackluster twists.
The most bizarre part of the story is that the interesting parts all happen prior to the actual plot put up on screen. Jones starts the film with a monologue on his drug-fueled past and his crazy benders, but since he is clean now, none of that is put on screen. He worked under legendary chef Jean-Luc in France for 20 hours a day and reminisced with an old partner about how the experiences made them into the chefs they are today. Jones was also a ladies’ man, apparently rushing through relationships while working the insane hours with Jean-Luc. But not one of these aspects of Jones’ life is shown on screen — rather, it is discussed by two characters in exposition. Jones would be a more realistic protagonist if he had these human flaws, but in the film he only focuses on cooking, which is not as relatable. It feels like “Burnt” is the second, less-interesting half of a more interesting movie.
It gets tough to become invested in the characters when they are so lacking in substance. Cooper is playing a very unlikeable guy, reaching Gordon Ramsay levels of rage in the kitchen, so it seems unlikely that he would be able to persuade a dozen talented chefs to join his crew. The most unbelievable instance is with Helene, who Jones manages to get fired behind her back so that she can work in his restaurant.
Michel is a close second, since Jones previously sabotaged Michel by planting rats in his kitchen and then calling the health inspector, “Ratatouille”-style. Michel forgives him, but because it is in the past, the film does not explain the situation well. Again, this treason is explained through dialogue rather than being shown, which is not interesting to the eye. The only character to push past the boring formula of explaining his past is maitre d’ Tony, played by the talented trilingual Daniel Brühl. As maitre d’, he is meant to be stoic and calm amidst the chaos of the kitchen, so hearing him discuss his past with the eclectic Jones was enlightening rather than dull.
One aspect of “Burnt” that brings flavor to the film is the cinematography. If you weren’t hungry going into the theater, you will certainly be hungry coming out. The shots of the long glistening counters, blue grill flames, stainless steel utensils, untouched white tablecloths, sizzling slabs of meat and vegetables getting sliced clean are beautiful to look at. Every shot of meals placed on plates is mouth-wateringly beautiful.
One last positive to mention is the acting. Cooper and many other actors speak French fluently throughout the film, and as someone who took French all throughout high school, the cast did a very good job. All the cooking done by the actors looked real as well, which is almost equally as impressive as learning a new language. However, their talented performances are not enough to save what are ultimately poorly-written characters in a flawed story.
“Burnt” feels like a meal without any substance. It certainly looks nice, but in the end you will be leaving the theater hungry for something more.
_MOVE gives “Burnt” two out of five stars._