Today's Special
David Kaplan
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Plot Summary
TODAY'S SPECIAL, a heartwarming comedy with culinary flavor, tells the story of Samir (Aasif Mandvi, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Last Airbender), a sous chef who dreams of becoming the head chef at an upscale Manhattan restaurant. When he is passed over for a promotion, he impulsively quits and tells his co-worker Carrie (Jess Weixler, Teeth) that he intends to go to Paris and apprentice under a master French chef. But dreams must be put aside after his estranged father, Hakim (Harish Patel, Run, Fat Boy, Run), has a heart attack and Samir is forced to take over Tandoori Palace, the nearly bankrupt family restaurant in Jackson Heights. Samir's mother, Farrida (legendary cookbook writer Madhur Jaffrey), is consumed with trying to find a wife for her son, while Samir is trying to master Indian cooking to salvage the family business. Luckily, he crosses paths with Akbar (Naseeruddin Shah, "Monsoon Wedding"), a taxi driver, passionate chef and worldly raconteur. Akbar inspires Samir and teaches him to trust his senses more than recipes; to stop measuring his life, and to start truly living it. With Akbar's guidance, Samir has a chance to rediscover his heritage and his passion for life through the enchanting art of cooking Indian food.
Credits
Director
Movie Reviews from Rotten Tomatoes
TOMATOMETER
81%- Reviews Counted: 31
- Fresh: 25
- Rotten: 6
- Average Rating: 6.6/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Rotten: Hits all the sentimental cliches of the genre as if they were stops on the No. 7 train.
Fresh: The cooking scenes are fun, but Samir's reawakening and romance with a co-worker hold about as many surprises as a prix fixe meal.
Fresh: An irresistible delight.
Fresh: The film, like a great meal, leaves you wanting more.
Customer Reviews
Wow !!!
This move is really amazing! It made my day, made me laugh and cry :) Definitely watch it !
My wife made me take a chance on this....
And it was surprisingly charming! I normally don't watch indie films, but I'm glad I saw this! On the surface, it's a food movie. But the heart of this film lies in a father son relationship that was shattered years earlier, when the favored son dies. It begins with a sous chef who's blocked, whose cooking is cold. When his estranged father has a heart attack, our hero Samir (Aasif Mandvi) must return to his family's Indian restaurant, a dive in Queens. There he faces demons at home, a gulf with his culture and an impossible rift with his dad. On top of that, he never learned to cook Indian food, deity falling in love with cooking as a child in that very restaurant. I don't want to give away too much more, but this movie has grace, charm, and a sensitivity you don't see a lot these days. Its a terrific feel good film. It deserves a viewing. You won't regret it!
Great cast!
I watched this film not sure what to expect, but I really like Aasif Mandvi so i gave it a go. Aasif's Samir did not disappoint, but it was the supporting cast of fantastic character actors that stood out. Particularly notable was Naseeruddin Shah who plays the hilarious mentor Akbar, and Madhur Jaffrey as Samir's mother, desperately trying to marry off her son. Check out the great food scenes in the film - since watching the film, I have been searching for a really great Indian restaurant!
