No Reservations is no more or less than a by-the-numbers romantic comedy, said Lou Lumenick in the New York Post. This American remake of the charming German film Mostly Martha is 'œthe sort of flick you'd rent or watch on cable, but never actually pay to see in a theater unless your air conditioning was on the fritz.' Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Kate, a demanding New York chef given to scolding diners who don't adore her foie gras. When her sister is killed in a car accident, Kate must raise the orphaned Zoe (Abigail Breslin). But Kate isn't great with kids: She's cold and orderly, and serves fish with the head on. 'œAmong the movie's chief flaws is that Zeta-Jones is entirely unconvincing as a chef, an American, and a human being,' said Carina Chocano in the Los Angeles Times. As Kate's personality goes through its inevitable thaw thanks to the handsome Aaron Eckhart, Zeta-Jones does little more than read her lines. At least the food looks good, said Hank Stuever in The Washington Post. The steamy scallops and freshly torched crème brûlée will have you running for a four-course meal after the movie. 'œBut that raises another serious problem for No Reservations: There's already a mouth-watering, crazy-behind-the-scenes restaurant movie out this summer, and it's got a better story, and it's a cartoon, and it stars a rat.'
Rating: PG
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