30
Trades in sitcom stereotypes and crosscuts predictably from family to family as if under the misapprehension that equal time is a dramatic principle.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
75
Philadelphia Inquirer by Carrie Rickey
Her (Chadha) film tastily demonstrates that variety is the spice of not only American life, but of American cuisine.
70
The New York Times by Dana Stevens
It's a meal you may feel you've eaten before, but you nonetheless walk away stuffed and happy.
70
Though often enjoyable, it’s an old-fashioned, feel-good movie whose significance is more sociological than cinematic.
30
Hopefully, the next time around, Chadha's imagination will be in the service of not just excellent casting and directing, but a script to match those other cinematic components.
50
L.A. Weekly by Hazel-Dawn Dumpert
Despite some grace- ful performances, especially from Ruehl and Kazan, the result is a tepid repast at best.
90
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
For so brisk and entertaining a film, sharp in its observations but light in its touch, Cooking has unexpected substance and is a formidable accomplishment in that it brings dimension to its nearly 40 principal characters.
60
TV Guide Magazine by Maitland McDonagh
That director and co-writer Gurinder Chadha transforms this sitcom material into a lively and charming film about the melting pot at full boil probably owes something to the fact that her own multicultural bona fides are firmly in order.
63
USA Today by Staff [Not Credited]
More interesting as a sociological study than successful as a movie, What's Cooking? gets more involving as it strolls along.
40
Washington Post by Stephen Hunter
Like too many Thanksgiving dinners, too much squabbling really wreaks havoc on the digestion. Football, anyone?