Bella Martha 2001

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: None of this, if you'll excuse the pun, is palatable drama. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: Handsome and sophisticated approach to the workplace romantic comedy. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Nettelbeck throws together a child who isn't cute and a woman who isn't lovable, and the result is one of the year's more heartwarming movies. Read more

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: A very bright, very affecting romantic comedy-drama, with a wonderful central character. Read more

Elvis Mitchell, New York Times: The final confection is extremely enjoyable, though a few degrees shy of perfection. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: The film is thick with decadent food preparation scenes that will send you bolting for a four-star restaurant before the closing credits roll. Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Flavorful and romantic, you could call this How Martha Got Her Groove Back -- assuming, that is, she ever had one to begin with. Read more

Manohla Dargis, Los Angeles Times: It's a drag how Nettelbeck sees working women -- or at least this working woman -- for whom she shows little understanding. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: This well-made and entertaining romantic comedy drama provides ample proof that German writer-director Sandra Nettelbeck can turn out a classier commercial feature than most of her Hollywood contemporaries. Read more

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle: Gedeck is mostly marvelous. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Nettelbeck has a particularly lovely sense of behind-the-scenes restaurant choreography. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: Nettelbeck has crafted an engaging fantasy of flavours and emotions, one part romance novel, one part recipe book. Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: A film that will lift anyone's dog-day spirits. Read more

Hazel-Dawn Dumpert, L.A. Weekly: Nettelbeck ... has a pleasing way with a metaphor. Read more

Marta Barber, Miami Herald: It has the elegance associated with haute cuisine, so it rises a level above your typical Hollywood chick flick. Read more

David Edelstein, NPR's Fresh Air: Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: This is a film that tells us absolutely nothing new about the problems that face us and is shamelessly hedonistic about the obsession with preparing gourmet food of the protagonist, Martha Klein. But it is still delightful. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: As much as any other motion picture that employs the preparation and consumption of food as a key element, Mostly Martha provides the perfect blend of cinematic nourishment and gratification. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: The wonder of Mostly Martha is the performance of Gedeck, who makes Martha enormously endearing. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Read more

Daphne Gordon, Toronto Star: While this film is not in the least surprising, it is still ultimately very satisfying. Think of it as a sort of comfort food for the mind. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: Read more

Emanuel Levy, Variety: Though utterly predictable, this kitchen-set romantic comedy about a severe German woman and a fun-loving Italian cook, has a certain charm, and it's about food, which speaks well for commercial appeal. Read more

Leslie Camhi, Village Voice: Martha is rich in contradictions, her tightly wound personality running counter to the sensual pleasure she offers others through her art. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: Sweet without being saccharine and funny without being forced. Read more