Passion Amongst Cultures

Good food films include the sights and sounds of the kitchen, scene after scene of culinary creations, and close ups of dishes that make moviegoer's mouths water. But great food films need so much more than that. What sets a good food film apart from a great one is passion and the unwritten language of food. There are two films that are not only a joy to watch, but exhibit the characteristics of great food films. Without loosing the delicious factor, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Big Night both exhibit a sense of pride and passion in the kitchen as well as humorous cultural clashes with Americans.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding directed by Joel Zwick is a comedy starring Toula Portokalos, an unmarried, Greek woman in her thirties. Toula is expected to do three things in life: marry a Greek boy, make Greek babies, and feed everyone until the day she dies. Instead, she spends her days working in the family restaurant, until she falls in love with Ian Miller. Toula's family on the other hand, doesn't love Toula's prospect of a husband; for one, he's not Greek and two, he's a vegetarian, a concept her family doesn't understand.

Big Night is a comedic drama directed by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci. Two Italian brothers, Primo and Secondo immigrated to America to make new lives for themselves by opening a restaurant. Primo is the chef who believes in the perfect authenticity of dishes. Secondo runs the front of the restaurant under the assumption that everything will always be richer in America. Despite the brothers' skills and dreams, their restaurant is failing. Their dishes are too authentic for the American palate, and go under-appreciated. Like the title of the film suggests, the brothers have one last 'big night' to save their restaurant.

In both films the characters spend a lot of time in the kitchen. This time reflects on their passion and in the case of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, their duty. Toula's mother, Maria, is the central character in the kitchen. Maria's job, as Greek rules say, is to 'feed everyone until the day they die.' So, Maria does just that when she invites the Millers over for dinner. The dinner is supposed to be a quiet get-together where the couple's parents meet for the first time. Maria however, like most Greeks, believes quantity is quality when she invites the whole Portokalos family.

Toula finds out the whole family is coming over for dinner when Maria is in the kitchen peeling potatoes for nearly thirty people. When the camera in the film pans out, we see Maria surrounded by brown bags of potatoes, a counter full of various vegetables. In the next scene we see a pig turning on a spigot over a fire as Ian and his parents arrive. What follows are clear cultural differences between the Miller and Portokalos families. Harriet Miller gives Maria a bunt cake, but Maria is confused as to why the cake has a hole in it. The bunt cake is symbolic for the cultural differences. The story behind each family is present like the cake, but there is a hole with misunderstandings. Later in the evening, Maria brings out the bunt cake with flowers in the middle. Someone in the background says, "You fixed it." This scene shows the ignorance of cultural backgrounds. Spanakopita is offered to the Millers as is shot after shot of alcohol and screams of "opa!" Toula's father comes around with a plate of meat and the Millers pass on the offer. The exchange of looks displayed uncertainty for the Millers and hurt for Gus. Gus took the rejection negatively, not understanding the clash of cultures.

The film Big Night opens in the kitchen with Primo preparing for dinner at the restaurant. Differences between American and Italian cultures can be noted when one woman asks for a side of spaghetti with her risotto. Primo was appalled by the request and refused to make it for her. In broken English Primo says, "Maybe I put mashed potatoes for the other side." As a true Italian chef, Primo is set deep in his roots. He follows the habits of his culture perfectly, much like the Portokalos' do. The Miller family as well as the guests at Primo's restaurant didn't understand the importance of such cultural foods like spanakopida or why it was unacceptable to order two starches at dinner. These differences, from both films, show how Americans misconstrue the rituals of other cultures. As the films go on there are more scenes that explore the backgrounds of each family, show the passion they have for cooking traditional meals, and the love they have for their culture.

One scene that shows Primo's passion is during preparation for the big night. When a deliveryman comes by to drop off their shipment of vegetables the camera shows a close up of the basil. It's wilted and unacceptable in Primo's eyes, but he has no choice other than to use it, as Italians do not cook without basil. Back in the kitchen we see several people helping to make the pasta. During the scene the camera stays focused on the table where the pasta is being rolled into tubes. This shot shows the passion the characters have. All their hands are working to prepare the noodles and in this we get a sense of community in the kitchen.

At one point, Primo allows his friend to sample the food on the stove. She confirms his great culinary skills, by approving of his dish. Primo then says to her, "To eat good food is to be close to God." This line shows passion in itself, but coming from Primo makes it even more insightful. Primo's love for cooking is affirmed in this line and out of the two films is one of the greatest passionate scenes.

When the guests have arrived and it's time to eat we see dish after dish of gorgeous arrangements coming out of the kitchen. This scene makes one hungry just watching the display of food being served. The main course is a timpano, a classic Italian dish, almost like an American potpie. From a bird's eye view we see Primo and Secondo removing the lid covering the timpano. Four hands carefully turn the lid as they lift it up. The brothers then pat the timpano as we