This rat in the kitchen is delightful in 'Ratatouille'
Marylynn G. Hewitt, SFO, of The Michigan Catholic
Published June 29, 2007
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Pixar Creative Services
Remy the rat (voiced by Patton Oswalt) discovers friendship in Paris thanks to garbage boy and prep cook Alfredo Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano). |
Detroit — "Ratatouille" is a delightful animated dish about Remy, a gourmet rat (who is oh so cute!), living out his culinary fantasy cooking in Auguste Gusteau's renown restaurant in Paris.
One might suspect that a rat in the kitchen would be a recipe for disaster. But that's not the case in "Ratatouille" (Walt Disney/ Pixar). The tragedy would be if Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) was discovered helping out garbage boy and prep cook Alfredo Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano). Linguini, who has not a lick of cooking skill, befriends Remy and then keeps him hidden as the two work together in high points of wonderfully animated scenes.
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"Ratatouille" contains animated gunfire, near drowning of rats and the implied story line of a child born out of wedlock.
Ratings
A-I General patronage
USCCB Office for Fim and Broadcasting
G General audiences
Motion Picture Association of America | Remy can't help that he was born with a "highly developed sense of taste and smell."
Earlier, as other members of the rat colony rummaged for scraps – not being the least bit picky about what they ate – he'd sneak off and watch Gusteau's cooking show. "Anyone can cook," the chef says. Remy takes those words to heart – and almost to his peril as he tries toasting a tasty tidbit leaning over the top of a fireplace chimney. No cold, greasy, fungus-infiltrated morsels for him. "If you are what you eat, I only want to eat the good stuff," reasons Remy.
After a series of calamities, Remy finds himself separated from the rest of the rat colony including Djano, his father (voiced by Brian Dennehy), and his brother Emile (voiced by Peter Sohn).
As luck would have it, Remy ends up at the restaurant of his hero, who has recently died. The once five-star restaurant now has a rating of only four stars and the kitchen staff is on edge. They know that soon enough they'll be subject to the make-'em or break-'em food critic Anton Ego (voiced by Peter O'Toole).
It's not giving anything away to say "Ratatouille" has the predictable happily-ever-after ending.
There are a few story lines in this charming story that could be troublesome, but most would sail right over a child's head. Gusteau apparently fathered a son who knew nothing about him and there's the tipsiness of an animated character. There are two scenes that could be traumatic for younger viewers. An older woman tries to shoot rats out of her house and there's a near drowning of rats – normally something most may not have a problem with – but these involve Remy, who is just adorable. He's an underdog you can't help rooting for and part of a family that against all odds has learned you only get by through helping one another. That, in essence, is an invaluable ingredient in "Ratatouille."
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