Movie Monday Nov. 22: What’s Cooking?

Oh Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorite holidays; the great food, gathering with family, the parade, the inevitable drama or meltdown. For this week I thought I’d watch a Thanksgiving centric film, and after a quick Google search, I found What’s Cooking? (2000). 

I’d never heard of this move before, but it has a great cast, including Kyra Sedgwick, Lanie Kazan, Julianna Margulies, and Alfre Woodard. It’s full of very relatable Thanksgiving moments, like when a woman and her mother-in-law disagree about whether to include mac and cheese in their spread. Speaking as someone who’s made Thanksgiving dinner for both family and friends, it can be a stressful experience. Both the joys and anxieties of the holiday are out in full force in this movie.

**Warning, mild spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t watched the movie yet, what are you doing?**

What’s Cooking? chronicles four L.A. families, the Seeligs, Avilas, Nguyens, and Williamses, over the course of Thanksgiving, from their supermarket trips all the way to a second helping of dessert. Each family has their own traditions and expectations for the day. While the dinner tables look slightly different, the challenges that arise are ones we can all relate to. Meeting new boyfriends, teenagers rebelling, dealing with affairs, each problem is a bump in the road to the perfect Thanksgiving gathering. There are also a fair amount of comedic moments. One family burns their turkey, so they resort to ordering KFC. Another family’s table collapses, spilling half of their meal onto the floor. There are awkward moments, lots of interesting side dishes, and one very spoiled dachshund.

I found this movie to be really relatable. I’ve had more than a few Thanksgiving meltdowns and family drama throughout the years. Cooking injuries, trying to teach myself and a friend how to cook a turkey while we were both hungover, and even having to spend Thanksgiving 2020 alone. Ultimately, though, I still love the holiday and What’s Cooking? encapsulates all of that. At the end of the day, it’s just a meal and the day should be more about those we spend time with, whether they are friends or family.

This movie also reminded me of another holiday classic, Love Actually. The four families’ stories are intertwined throughout the day. I won’t reveal the ending, but everyone is brought together by what could have been a tragic event. While it sometimes slipped into melodrama moments that didn’t really fit with the tone of the rest of the movie, What’s Cooking? is overall a great movie that encapsulates what Thanksgiving can be like.

(I’m trying something new starting this week)

One moment that I loved

When Joey Nguyen (Brennan Louie) bites into his piece of fried chicken, a huge grin on his face. As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of turkey, I get it.

One moment that made me cringe

A few of the Avilas being subtly racist towards daughter Gina’s (Isidra Vega) Vietnamese boyfriend (Will Yun Lee). I get that 2000 was a different era, but I found myself physically cringing each time it happened.

I’d give this movie 8.5 pumpkin pies out of 10. And pumpkin is my all time favorite.