Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tempting Meryl Streep dramedy is OK but may bore kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Julie & Julia
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 18 parent reviews
Parents say this movie features strong role models and positive messages about perseverance and following dreams, but it contains inappropriate language and mild sexual content that may not be suitable for younger children. While adults and older teens might appreciate the film’s charm and humor, some may feel that its more adult themes and a few surprising scenes, such as a bloody SNL spoof, warrant discretion when it comes to younger audiences.
- strong role models
- adult themes
- positive messages
- inappropriate language
- fun and humor
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 44 kid reviews
What's the Story?
It's 2002, and Julie Powell (Amy Adams) has fallen into a rut. Her job as a clerk fielding 9/11 claims is both depressing and soul-killing. She's swimming upstream while her affluent, successful friends glide by in their yachts, metaphorically speaking. So, encouraged by her husband (Chris Messina), Julie sets a goal: to cook her way through Julia Child's (Meryl Streep) venerable tome, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in one year. And, for good measure, she'll blog about it. As Julie makes her way through the 500-plus recipes, Julia's life, decades earlier, unfolds in Paris. A former government secretary married to a devoted diplomat (Stanley Tucci), she's determined to reinvent herself, and her passion for good food seems as good a place as any to begin.
Is It Any Good?
Adams' Julie is delightful ... but not delightful enough to warrant quite so much screen time (what's with the distractingly bad haircut and the constant bellyaching?). Her arc moves the film forward, but it's Julia Child who intrigues, so much so that it can be a killjoy to switch back to Julie in 2002. Although her Julia borders on caricature, Streep is still phenomenal, making it clear that the woman who wrote the cookbook that changed the way people cook was much more captivating and much less solipsistic than the real-life blogger who found fame through her.
Director Nora Ephron also unfortunately gives Paris a bit of the cold shoulder -- we get glimpses, but not enough to sate our hunger for the city that made Child swoon. And speaking of hunger: What happened to showing off all those tasty dishes Child was whipping up? Though the boeuf bourguignon and sole meuniere make the mouth water, and a perfectly iced chocolate cake tempts, there really isn't enough food showcased for a film about a world-famous chef. Brief glimpses of meringue and close-ups of a trussed duck don't feed a food-movie lover's soul.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Julie felt compelled to set such a lofty goal. Was it just about the cooking? What did she learn besides how to make great food? How is she similar to or different from Julia?
How do the two characters stack up as role models?
What's the film's take on women's roles, both then and now? What aboutidentity? What shapes your identity? Your work, your personal life, orboth?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 7, 2009
- On DVD or streaming : December 9, 2009
- Cast : Amy Adams , Meryl Streep , Stanley Tucci
- Director : Nora Ephron
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Tristar
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Cooking
- Run time : 123 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : brief strong language and some sensuality
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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