Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Salty comedy about food and fatherhood is made with love.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Chef
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 16 parent reviews
Based on 24 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a fun but flawed comedy featuring strong language throughout, making it less suitable for younger audiences. While it has heartfelt moments about family and pursuing one's passion, the pervasive cursing and sexual references detract from its overall appeal for some viewers.
- strong language
- family themes
- not for kids
- mixed reception
- entertaining moments
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) is an inspired, creative chef toiling at an uninspired Los Angeles restaurant. He's capable of so much more than the safe, predictable menu that he serves under the watchful gaze of the restaurant's owner (Dustin Hoffman). After a big-time food blogger (Oliver Platt), once a fan of Carl's, gives him the worst review of his life, Carl confronts his boss and quits. Now what? At the invitation of his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara), Carl accompanies her and their son to Miami, where Carl first fell in love with cooking and honed his fresh ideas about food. With no restaurant to cook for, Carl considers opening a food truck. But is that his best move?
Is It Any Good?
Favreau has starred in and directed blockbusters, but he got his start thinking smaller scale, with his breakout indie hit Swingers; CHEF is most likely to please fans of that film. It's steeped in love -- not just for food, but for filmmaking. This is a movie clearly made with passion and gusto, just as cooking should be. Chef's storyline, filled with references to social media and how it can make or break you, is of-the-moment, but it's ultimately threaded through with a timeless message about finding your bliss.
It's also a fresh take on fatherhood, post-divorce, without the usual treacle. Carl struggles mightily to parent well, even as he juggles the pressures of a career on the brink of destruction, a friendly but still bittersweet divorce, and a heaping dose of self-doubt. His yearning to find his footing as a dad is as authentically drawn as his drive to serve the kind of food he's always longed to cook: simple and good. If there's one complaint about Chef, it's that the ending can be spotted a few food trucks away. But that doesn't feel like a major disappointment -- just what's meant to be. John Leguizamo, Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson also co-star -- brilliantly.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Chef's messages. Are any of the positive take-aways about being true to yourself and what you love undercut by the movie's more mature content? What audience do you think the movie is primarily aimed at?
What role does social media play in the story? Do you consider Carl's experiences a cautionary tale? What can teens take away from what he goes through?
Hollywood loves stories about comeback kids. Is Carl one? What's different about his journey?
Is Carl a good father? How would you characterize his relationship with his son? How does the film depict their dynamic?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 9, 2014
- On DVD or streaming : September 30, 2014
- Cast : Jon Favreau , Robert Downey Jr. , Scarlett Johansson
- Director : Jon Favreau
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Open Road Films
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures , Arts , Transportation ( Cars & Trucks ) , Cooking , Family Stories ( Dads ) , Holidays ( Father's Day ) , Friendship , Travel
- Run time : 115 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language, including some suggestive references
- Last updated : September 9, 2025
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