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Summary:
A renowned New York chef ends up having to raise her niece after a car accident kills her sister. Back at the restaurant, new hired help arrives in the form of a freeloving handsome man that is the exact opposite of her tightass controlling nature in the kitchen. Perhaps this is a recipe for romance?

Review:
I didn't realize that they were chefs. Before seeing the movie, I only saw the title. So, I thought they were both perhaps a couple of renowned bellhops in a glitzy hotel, and they were going to have a competition with one another between floors and against customers for the best tips. And hilarity would ensue. But no, the title "No Reservations" is actually a play on Kate's reserved manner as a chef, how she is controlling and serious all the damned time in that freaking kitchen. Then comes Nick, who is obviously completely unlike her because all the cooks and waitresses are smiling and laughing on his first day at work. Kate walks into the kitchen and finds a man wearing pajama bottoms and slip-on shoes, singing along to some opera. He is OBVIOUSLY off his rocker, and apparently the perfect balance of sweetness to her sour demeanor. How can the audience not immediately fall in love with him, right? RIGHT?!

Yes, I'm being sarcastic.

One of the latest in the countless slew of Chick Flicks, No Reservations barely squeaks along as passable movie viewing, and this is accomplished simply because I'm a fan of Aaron Eckhart. The guy rocks. Even when he's in a pile of doggy doo like this, he comes out smelling like Jessica Alba's hair right after a high class herbal shampooing (I've never actually smelled Alba's hair after she's shampooed, but I can only imagine it's To Die For, much like Nick's tiramisu). Eckhart is predictable as all get out this time, but darn if he doesn't still kind of convince me. Lower down the totem pole is Zeta-Jones' efforts to pass off as a well meaning but slightly bitchy cook. At first, I'm going along with her silent vibe of mediocre aggression, but then as Kate has to take over watching Zoe and starts falling into Nick's charms, my thoughts were that she would start to balance out. I think that's kind of the point of this story. Have her start out as the tight-ass prune, and then Nick and Zoe's love and liberalism will knead and work her callous nature into a soft, pliable juicy plum of exuberance. I didn't see it. All the way to the end, she's just the same bitch that she always was. The only time I really felt her pain or happiness was when she broke down and cried in the freezer shortly after her sister's death. Any time before or after, Jones didn't convince me. Abigail Breslin as Zoe, well... she was alright. In fact, she did great because she didn't annoy the crap out of me like most child actors, but it was also nothing to write home about.
There isn't one thing about this flick that gives a fresh new zing on this age old movie making formula. Two people - both beautiful and without a lover - on opposite ends of the personality spectrum come together and end up falling in love. Whoopee. I was sure hoping that I would feel the connection between Jones and Eckhart, but sadly the only connection I got from Kate was her visits in the freezer, because the temperature of that fridge might have actually helped warm her heart, if only she stayed in there a little longer. Nick is an honorable man of course, and never tries to be an ambitious and capricious backstabbing prick and take over Kate's job as head chef. He keeps that nicely honed and heavily used Kershaw Shun knife where it belongs... on the cutting board. In fact, he's so virtuous that I was wishing for just a hint of deception at some point. He might actually have been Christ Reborn he was so perfect. It's alright to create a likable character, but one can always go too far. Where they went too far making Jason Isaacs a laughably bad "Bad Guy" in The Patriot, Nick is too good of a guy for me to believe he truly exists outside of this fairy tale world.

No Reservations is a Chick Flick to Da Maxx. When you've got that date with your girlfriend - and you're a guy - you might have to make a sacrifice viewing with this one, because chances are that your girl will like it. If your girlfriend thinks this is just merely "ok"-ish or something lower on the scale of acceptance, then she's a definite consideration for being a Keeper. If your girlfriend scoffs at the idea of seeing this, then she's totally worthy of your love. It's most likely some of us guys will have to see this against our own will because this is the kind of movie that presents the alluring aroma of romance to a girl's senses, and to men, it smells about as alluring as his best buddy's crotch.

GRADE: D

TRIVIA:
- I saw this movie because my mom wanted to see a movie. I let her choose. She paid. And she hated it.

Reviewed 9/16/07