Mostly Martha DVD Review:


The Movie

Martha (Martina Gedeck) is the chef at a chic German restaurant and has a knack for cooking. Her abilities have no limit and life seems to be all about her passion, but when an unexpected family accident occurs, her life is thrown out of order. Her sister leaves behind 8 year-old Lina (Maxime Foerste) who makes a new home in Martha's apartment. As Martha tries to adjust to this change and act as Lina's mother figure, she becomes a kind of different person. At work, she finds new kitchen chef Mario (Sergio Castellitto) unwelcome, but with time spent in the kitchen she slowly develops a romance with him that is not only about love but also about the food.

Martha's life has changed for the better, which writer/director Sandra Nettelbeck showcases in this little gem of a romantic movie. Gedeck's performance is multi-layered, because at times she feels and acts confused, sad, or/and joyful. Her performance makes the character all the more believable, but it also lets the audience draw a connection. The supporting cast does a good job as well.

Mostly Martha, originally titled Bella Martha in Germany, benefits from its script and acting, but a taste of the food ingredients make it a special little treat. If there is one small setback in this film it would have to be the pace, yet a story like this requires patience. Patience and the love for good are two of the requirements this film asks of us. I seemed to have both.

8 out of 10

The Video

The source of this transfer feels like it was taken directly from a VHS, but I might be wrong. In any case, the quality is mostly mediocre. Scratches and blurs show up in quite a lot of scenes, but didn't have much of an impact because the film wasn't visually driven.

7 out of 10

The Audio

Available in German 5.1 Surround sound, the transfer only does a seeming job. On par with the video, this is not an audio driven film. Most of the audio comes from the front speakers and once or twice I noticed the rear speakers come to life. Despite its lack of ultimate use, the transfer earns a grade above average.

7 out of 10

The Extras

English subtitles are not considered extras, but for a German film they are a necessity. Unless you understand German, like I do, you probably wouldn't care much for them.

2 out of 10

Overall

Mostly Martha is a small and quiet film, yet it managed to evoke enough fun and romance to make for good entertainment. The DVD features mediocre video/audio quality and an abundance of extras, but the film itself is worth of a rental.

Overall DVD Rating: 6 out of 10

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