"Julie & Julia" by Julie Powell

About the Book/Movie:

Julie Powell is 30-years-old, living in a rundown apartment in Queens and working at a soul-sucking secretarial job that’s going nowhere. She needs something to break the monotony of her life, and she invents a deranged assignment. She will take her mother's dog-eared copy of Julia Child's 1961 classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and she will cook all 524 recipes. In the span of one year.

Book vs. Movie:

1. Be prepared for sexual innuendos and offensive language. You wouldn’t guess it from the film — and I don’t suppose they cared to include a lot of it — but much of what Julie writes about compares Julia’s cooking with gratuitous actions. I think it can be best summed up with this quote, “If ‘The Joy of Sex’ was my first taste of sin, ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ was my second.” I don’t think when Julia was writing her cookbook that she realized marrow tasted like “really good sex” or how Ritz a l’Indienne is code for “Bitch Rice.” These phrases almost make Julia’s hateful reaction to Julie’s cooking project understandable. I guess that’s what you get for honesty. Despite these seemingly awkward tidbits, they actually offer a comedic relief to Powell’s inability to maintain much patience while trying to master all these recipes (not that I can blame her). Like I said, just be prepared.

2. Don’t expect to read much about Julia’s history behind her claim to fame. The film took much more liberty in reverting back to Julia’s history than the book, from her first taste of French food in Paris to finally getting her famous cookbook published, and much of which comes from Julia’s book “My Life in Paris.” The “Julie and Julia” book does contain some excerpts from Julia’s life before marrying her husband Paul, but mostly focuses on Julie’s journey through cooking and blogging. I would have appreciated more content surrounding Julia, possibly utilizing the letters Paul and Julia wrote to people during their time in Paris. You don’t really get a sense of who Julia is, despite Julie’s fascination with her. Making connections between two very different points in history between these two strong females may have been more interesting and uplifting at times when Julie’s impatience gets the better of her.

3. Julia Powell vs. Amy Adams. If you start reading this book with the image of Julie as this adorable, sweet wife, think again. Much like the #1 difference I wrote about above, Julie is far from the character portrayed by the loveable Amy Adams. I’m sure the film took a lot of liberty with making Julie come across as more relatable but after reading the book, it feels like a different person entirely. With the book Julie, there’s a bipolar outburst about every other page, much more talk of giving up and not as much of a loving relationship between her and her husband (they later divorced soon after the book was published). Knowing what I know now about the personality of Julie, Amy Adam’s character just comes across as fake — some made up scenario that Hollywood thought would be more appealing to viewers. If anything, I’d much rather of seen Julie as who she really was. We all curse like a sailor from time to time or feel like giving up when all hope is lost. She’s a real woman who was struggling in her search for joy in life and who eventually found it through Julia Child — and frankly shouldn’t of been portrayed as anything less.

(White, 2014)

Discussion Questions:

1. How faithful is the movie to Julie Powell's book in terms of plot, character portrayal, and tone?
2. What changes were made in the adaptation, and do you think they enhanced or detracted from the story?
3. How do the actors in the movie compare to your mental images of the characters from the book?
4. Were there any notable differences in the portrayal of Julie Powell and Julia Child that stood out to you?
5. How does the movie handle the dual narratives of Julie Powell's contemporary story and Julia Child's past?
6. Did the storytelling choices in the movie affect your understanding or emotional connection to the characters?
7. What themes from the book were emphasized or downplayed in the movie, and why do you think these choices were made?
8. Do you think the movie successfully conveyed the same messages and lessons as the book?
9. How did the visual elements of the movie contribute to your understanding and enjoyment of the story?
10. Were there any scenes in the movie that stood out to you as particularly well-done or poorly executed?
11. Both the book and the movie involve a significant focus on cooking and food. How do they each handle the portrayal of the culinary journey, and did one medium capture it more effectively for you?
12. How does the movie portray the relationships between characters, especially the dynamics between Julie and her husband or Julia and her husband, compared to the book?
13. Were there any nuances or details from the book that you felt were missing or enhanced in the movie?
14. Books often allow for more detailed exploration of events and emotions. How did the pacing of the movie compare to the pacing of the book, and were there moments that felt rushed or extended?
15. Did the movie evoke the same emotions in you as the book, or did you have a different emotional experience with each?
16. Were there any scenes in the movie that had a particularly strong emotional impact, either positive or negative?
17. How did critics and audiences respond to the movie adaptation, and do you agree with their assessments?
18. Do you think the adaptation was successful in introducing "Julie & Julia" to a new audience?