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Netflix's 'Hunger' Review: A poignant storyline and extraordinary cast make this a must-see

The movie focuses less on celebrity chefs' torment and more on their mutual ambition to escape their current lives and become successful

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Hunger' just released on the streaming platform Netflix and we cannot keep calm! The movie directed by Sitisiri Mongkolsiri, which follows the story of a street food cook who is recruited to train under a fine-dining chef, may be predictable, but it is still enjoyable. The film also presents seething portrayals of the wealthy. Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, The Thai actress, delivers an outstanding performance in the lead role, further solidifying her position as one of the most talented young actresses in Asia.

Although the storyline of the movie is predictable, as it follows Aoy's journey from obscurity to training under a challenging master chef, the film's director creates extravagant set pieces that make for an enjoyable watch. Furthermore, Thai actress Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying's captivating on-screen presence adds to the overall appeal of the movie.

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Weirdly dramatic while highlighting social status

The movie showcases Aoy, cooking simple fried noodles at her family's humble street-side restaurant. One day, Tone (Who eventually falls for her), "a sous chef" at 'Hunger', a prestigious restaurant owned by Chef Paul, approaches her.

Aoy is asked to audition for the position of fry chef at 'Hunger', and she secures the job after impressing the chef with a simple fried rice dish. However, as she begins working with Chef Paul, she realizes that he is a conceited, vengeful, and self-centered person who cooks not for the love of it but to receive admiration. Despite this, Aoy desires to be exceptional and is willing to leave her family's restaurant to achieve it.

Chef Paul, who shares a similar working-class background with Aoy, learned about the privileges of the upper classes through his own hardships. He developed a deep-seated resentment towards the wealthy from a young age, as he believed that food was associated with social status rather than affection. In his opinion, food made with love did not exist. Despite his hard work in becoming the "high priest of fine dining," his contempt for the upper class transformed him into the very thing he loathes.

The film showcases the positioning of a chef in everyone's daily life and how life can be different for middle-class cooks and the elite in society. (They cook for all sorts of VIPs, including crypto brats. 

Weirdly dramatic with close up food chewing shots 

While 'Hunger' does successfully showcases the desire to be somebody in life in order to escape the ordinary, It is weirdly dramatic with expressions and close shots of people chewing food, especially meat. Which can be a little gross to watch, especially in a slow storyline in 'Hunger'. 

'Hunger' navigates social hierarchy within male-dominated kitchen

Aoy, the protagonist of the story, faces numerous challenges as she tries to fit into the male-dominated kitchen and its social hierarchy. Along the way, she develops a close relationship with Tone, the sous chef who discovered her and mentored her. Despite the pressures imposed by Chef Paul, they manage to cook for various VIPs, including wealthy cryptocurrency investors The latter situation is particularly challenging for Aoy, prompting her to quit her job and seek out Tos, a renowned restaurateur who promises to help her become a prominent figure in the Thai culinary scene.

Overall despite its occasionally heavy-handed approach, 'Hunger' delves deep into the human psyche and exposes our insatiable desires for wealth, status, and acceptance, no matter the price. It confronts society's growing divide between the privileged and the underprivileged, and how the former's entitlement is often taken for granted and leveraged against the latter. With a thought-provoking social commentary that hits hard, and performances that hit harder, 'Hunger' is an undeniably poignant Thai film that demands to be seen.