I’m honored that my friend Norm, from Meet in the Lobby, has agreed to guest post here. I’m hoping this is the first of many! You want to know about bad TV and crappy movies? Ask me. You actually like good films or shows and want thoughtful, insightful reviews? Norm’s your guy. Without further ado…

Says Norm, “I’m really excited to be contributing to My Messy Paradise, and thank LZ for the invitation! I appreciate that parents — especially Moms — have limited time to tear through movie reviews, so I’ll cut to the chase, and keep ‘em short and sweet. If anyone has questions or comments, please feel free to email me at norm@meetinthelobby.com”

JULIE & JULIA

What’s the story?
There are actually two parallel stories: One centers on celebrated chef Julia Child during her post-war years living in Paris with her husband; the other focuses on Julie Powell, a young woman in current-day Queens who attempts Julia’s recipes (like, all of them) and blogs about it. Of course, both women find their voice in the world of food, and enjoy unlikely fame as a result.

Who’s in it?
Meryl Streep as Julia Child (Oscar nomination is on the way), Amy Adams as Julie Powell, Stanley Tucci as Child’s husband.

What’s the verdict?
4 / 5 stars. It’s as delightful a movie as it seems. Yes, Streep’s performance is far more engaging than Adams’s… then again, Julia Child’s life was far more interesting that Julie Powell’s is, so do the math.

Here’s the longer look…

With Julie & Julia, you don’t get typical blueprint from filmmaker Nora Ephron. Ephron, who adapted two books to create the movie, seems to have finally matured as a filmmaker (at age 68). Her typical style is apparent in two of her most popular movies, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, where plucky characters crack punchy lines, full of gee-gosh hope and cosmopolitan smarts. It’s artificial, obvious and often annoying. And it’s all sealed with a bow. That’s not the case here. Ephron never hits us over the head with the parallels between the two women’s lives, and there’s a welcome lack of obvious match edits.

But one thing is obvious: Meryl Streep continues to amaze. As the irrepressible Ms. Child, Streep is the embodiment of a passionate life, throwing herself into her favorite things like a silly schoolgirl, completely oblivous to the naysayers and hurdles. Her energy is utterly contagious, and it practically carries the entire film — and the audience.

Streep’s physical and vocal portrayal of Julia Child has texture and natural wit, more of a kind impression than a funny impersonation. Like Philip Seymour Hoffman playing Truman Capote, Streep is able to affect a unique voice without sounding like a buffoon. Quite an achievement considering how often Child was ribbed for her sound (in fact, Dan Aykroyd’s famous portrayal is worked into the film).

As Julie Powell, Amy Adams doesn’t get the room to fully stretch. She’s a more typical Ephron character, a modern city girl with mousy tendencies and a drive to achieve more. Adams fills in all the blanks, with as much of a combination of cuteness and strength as she can muster. As she gets closer to her goal — prepare all the meals in Child’s famous introductory book — I’m not sure we necessarily care whether she makes it or not. At that stage, we get the point.

Ephron smartly avoids some grand, music-swelling conclusion. Perhaps we can thank the women’s real lives, but Hollywood often screws with the truth. In this case, Ephron made sure to stick to the facts and avoid some of the cliches for which she’s built a career. And for that, we should be grateful.