Almost Retired Gal Goes to Movies

Skipping work to go to the movies is not something I've ever done, but then I'm almost retired and I think I can get away with it. And besides, I just had to be one of the first to see Julie and Julia.

Way worth it! Meryl Streep is great! She is Julia! She looks, sounds, moves just like Julia. Wow! I really enjoyed the movie and went alone on purpose. I didn't want any distractions. I have been reading the book, just about 3/4s through it and I will finish the book even though I have now seen the movie, but the movie is wonderful and the book so-so.

In the movie, of course, there is more of Julia and Paul and Paris and her cooking. I loved everything about the Julia parts. The Julie parts were okay, and I guess if I were 30ish I might have zoomed in on that part first. But when I was 30 there was no internet--no blogs. When I was 30ish there WAS Julia Child on TV and she was a star.

So as soon as the movie starts, my tears start flowing and I don't know why. I know I am overly sentimental, but I still don't understand. I don't tear up on a daily basis, very seldom when reading books, very seldom when watching TV, but there is something about movies and live plays that make me teary. Actually, the same thing happened when I saw Mamma Mia (again with Meryl) and I cried through that whole movie, too. Perhaps because I was watching it with my 30 year old daughter.

Anyway, with Julie and Julia the tears were non-stop and, again, I don't know why. I was enjoying every bit of the movie. I loved the vintage clothing and hats (actually I am old enough to remember wearing a hat--and white gloves--to my first job interview). I think somehow I made a connection to my mother who is Canadian French-American, and we lived in France and spoke French and mother mother learned to cook everyday French cooking and, of course, it was delicious. She never went to Cordon Bleu, but she was a real good French cook and she did make her own mayonnaise. Absolutely delicious as I remember it.

So remembrances of my mother and our years in France, my memories of watching Julia on TV in the 60s and 70s and 80s, the absolute likeness of Julia by Meryl--and the tears just kept coming.

On the way home I called my daughter (who never seems to be there when I call--I mean isn't that the purpose of a cell phone--to always be there), but anyway, I told her I had seen the movie and I was sobbing. She thinks I'm crazy anyway. So I emailed her at work when I got home but then realized she probably was not at work on a Friday in August in NYC. So we'll talk about it another time and it's probably for the best because I probably couldn't have talked sanely--I'd just be weeping about how wonderful the movie was and that I have to see it again with her (because she loves France, and Paris especially, and French food and Julia, too). And, of course, I'll probably cry through the whole movie once again.

I think I'm going to like being retired.