Soul Kitchen (2009)

Brilliant and touching

An Exercise In Nonsense

A Disappointing Continuation

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Soul Kitchen (2009) German comedy Slow start but at midway through, With that jazz and soul, We're whisked away by misfits, Fun, tasty, redemptive ride. Tanka, literally "short poem", is a form of poetry consisting of five lines, unrhymed, with the 5-7-5-7-7 syllable format. #Tanka #PoemReview

Greek-German Zinos Kazantsakis operates the rundown working-class Wilhelmsburg restaurant Soul Kitchen. He has money struggles. Sokrates works on his boat in the adjacent storage but never seems to pay Zinos rent. During a family dinner at a high-class restaurant, he sees arrogant chef Shayn getting fired and hires him on the spot. His girlfriend Nadine leaves for China and later he decides to go to her. His convict brother Illias gets leave from prison and convinces Zinos to sign off on work release. Zinos hurts his back trying to move in a replacement dishwasher. With no health insurance, he gets help from physical therapist Anna. Tax collectors confiscate his sound system. Shayn changes the menu driving away the regulars. Former classmate and sleazy developer Thomas Neumann wants to buy the restaurant and secretly calls in the health department. New customers love the food and soon it becomes a gastronomical success. Waitress Lucia hates Illias until she finds out that he's a bad boy criminal. He's a degenerate gambler but Zinos gives him power of attorney.The story is a bit rambling with a lot of turns. It's got a jazzy rocking feel. It works well enough. It's got its fun. The jam-packed story may work even better as a TV show. As for the food porn aspect, the most memorable scene is Shayn taking apart fish sticks and french fries to create a high-class plate.

This is my second review for a film on IMDb. I'm writing only when I like a film very much. And, I'm writing only when I'm inspired to write something original, not just to recount again and again the plot, as do so many here on IMDb... This film is successful in all respects, great script, great cinematography, great everything. The actors, all simply compete against each other by their natural talent. The music is just fantastic. Being an actor myself, I would gladly like to film with Faith Akin, he's simply a guy who knows his job. Several years ago I watched HEAD-ON. Recently I saw also THE CUT, another masterpiece signed Faith Akin, so I know what I'm saying. 10 out of 10.

The reason I picked this up was that I had read/heard somewhere that this had inspired the movie 'Ustad Hotel' in 'malayalam' which I had enjoyed.Having seen excellent movies like The Trap/Troubled Water/L' Infante recently, I was not extremely impressed by this one but at the same time the movie is young and lovable.There are some original humor sequences.You may like the movie a whole lot or the movie may not touch you at all - depending on your frame of mind while you watch this.I liked the main protagonist of the movie. The back ache that he carries through out movie somehow aches your back as well while you watch the movie!. He goes easy on various people - letting his employees practice music in his dying restaurant , letting his tenant stay off rent , letting his brother run the business etc.That is how the main protagonist has been built.The movie is filled with short easy sequences - a nice watch.