MOSTLY MARTHA

MOSTLY MARTHA is a delightful, poignant comedy from Germany that tantalizes the taste buds and warms the heart. It’s one of the best foreign movies to hit the United States this year!

Martina Gedeck stars in the title role as Martha, the head chef at a gourmet restaurant in Hamburg, Germany. Martha is a perfectionist who relies on her culinary skills to communicate with people. She lives for her work, however, which sometimes makes it difficult whenever she feels customers unfairly complain about the food.

One day, a fatal traffic accident leaves Lina, Martha’s 8-year-old niece, in her care. Lina is the result of a fling that Martha’s sister had when she went to Italy, and her father is not easily located. While Martha tries to meet Lina’s physical and emotional needs shortly after the accident, the owner of Martha’s restaurant hires a charming and carefree Italian chef, Mario, to replace the pregnant female chef under Martha. This upsets Martha, who’s also having problems relating to Lina, who refuses to eat Martha’s cooking.

Comical complications ensue from these two situations. Gradually, Martha finds love, family and the beginnings of a new recipe for life.

MOSTLY MARTHA is a wonderful movie, which, except for a scene with Martha in her underwear, some light foul language and light sexual innuendo, would be a nearly perfect cinematic feast for almost the entire family. The underwear scene is a little bit too revealing, however, though the context is not a sexual one. There is also a scene where Mario and Martha share a passionate kiss after Martha lets Mario cook dinner for her and Lina one night. In the next scene following the kissing scene, the movie shows Mario, fully clothed, cooking what apparently is breakfast for Martha and Lina. Thus, the movie implies that Mario spent the night with Martha.

MOSTLY MARTHA also deals frankly with the pain that a child can have when losing her mother in an awful accident. This material, however, is done tastefully and dramatically. Best of all, it has an uplifting resolution that is quite moving, though the movie makes clear, of course, that a child will never completely get over the death of a parent, especially a tragic one like the one in the movie.

Martina Gedeck, Maxine Foerste and Sergio Castellitto as Martha, Lina and Mario are an absolute delight in this movie. They deftly handle both the comical scenes and the dramatic scenes. Sandra Nettelbeck’s writing and direction are also impeccable! For a welcome change, the photography in this movie is crisp and clear.

The only things missing in this excellent German production are a God-centered and Christ-centered worldview. The ending, however, contains a heartwarming celebration of marriage, family and life that lightens the heavy loads we all have to carry in this fallen world of ours. That is no small accomplishment!