'Savoring Paris' Review: Bethany Joy Lenz cooks up delicious performance in Hallmark's slice-of-life drama
PARIS, FRANCE: 'Savoring Paris' premiered on Hallmark on June 8, 2024. The slice-of-life romantic drama is a beautiful ode to finding your true calling as it elegantly explores a leisurely way of life away from the monotony of a daily job.
The film is directed by Clare Niederpruem and stars Bethany Joy Lenz, Stanley Weber, and Ben Wiggins in central roles.
It starts with a recipe developer Ella (Bethany Joy Lenz) frustrated with her excruciating mid-life crisis working at a place where the quality of food is bad and unfortunately for her, it has her name on it.
She decides to take an infinite break and venture into the unknown when she takes a soul-searching trip to Paris and explores the lifestyle with a predominant focus on cheese.
The film creates parallels between Paris and a way of life that is impetuous and leisurely. Here is our detailed review of 'Savoring Paris'.
An ode to cheese, love, and Paris
The movie on its exterior is centered around Ella's experiments with cheese, her attempt at finding true love, and an indefinite break in Paris. But subliminally, it is a story about inner growth and self-actualization.
The whole experience of finding a perfect job for herself intertwines in the plot with her choosing between Serge (Stanley Weber) and Gaston (Ben Wiggins).
In the process, the writers have carefully placed a beautiful character growth arc that sees Ella go from being a frustrated woman to one who wants to explore her gift and embrace her individuality.
Another brilliant touch is the relationship between Ella and her mother and the chemistry between the two. Ella is conflicted about going back to be with her mother or exploring herself in Paris and the relationship makes the conflict deeper and more personal.
Bethany Joy Lenz and Stanley Weber have great chemistry
Bethany Joy Lenz and Stanley Weber's chemistry as Ella and Serge is the heartbeat of the film. Ella is dating Gaston when she meets Serge but she instantly connects with Serge more.
In a way, the relationship with Serge is also an analogy for her professional life as she discovers her instinct that helps her know what is it that she wants.
Serge and Ella are the perfect couple and whether it is their discussions about cheddar cheese or the fact that they physically gravitate towards each other, you can see a chemistry palpable.
Beautiful cinematography and crisp editing make 'Savoring Paris' a breezy watch
Basing a film in Paris guarantees beautiful locales and great visuals but this one is especially good because it explores the heart of Paris and its restaurants and streets and doesn't just stick to the usual exterior settings.
The art direction and pacing help the film as the editors have ensured they cut a breezy film that still moves at a leisurely pace.
One big letdown in the movie though is its music and it would have been nice if the makers had inculcated some local music and musicians into the narrative.
'Savoring Paris' trailer
'Savoring Paris' premiered on Hallmark on June 8, 2024
