I went to a nearly sold-out movie this weekend. Which was surprsing becuase it wasn’t the opening weekend and there was not a single explosion, car chase or shooting.

It was “Julie & Julia,” which tells an interwoven tale of two women finding themselves: Julia Child, who brought French cooking to American housewives, and Julie Powell, a cublicle worker who turns to blogging her way through Child’s magnum opus, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” (which the Baltimore Sun reports is headed to the top of the NY Times bestseller list) as a mission in her mostly blah life.

Not exactly sell-out material. You’d think.

But maybe there’s a craving out there for more flavor and less pop, more boeuf bourguingnon and fewer all-you-can-eat lobster specials.

The theater was filled with men and women (OK, mostly women) who laughed hardily at this charming film. Meryl Streep’s spectacular channeling of the late chef was deft and joyful and director Nora Ephron’s directions very restrained. It all made me want to cook again.

And I say, “Yay!” A film driven by character and story is a rejuvenating respite from the normal late summer fare, movies like “The Collector” and “GI Joe.” And that it  focuses on two women (one of a certain age) is marvelous and oddly inspiring.

Go see it.

Go here for showtimes

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