# Just Got Back From Julie and Julia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-back-from-julie-and-julia/504526 "2009-07-28T06:21:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-back-from-julie-and-julia/504526/41 "2009-09-01T18:25:43Z")
The movie seemed chimera-ish, I didn’t feel the present and past perspectives flowed together at all. The Julia Child segments seemed like a wacky French farce, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. The present-day seemed like a trite chick flick a la (it’s French, Tish!) “You’ve Got Mail”. I was absent of any interest or empathy with the couple’s relationship or her blogging drama. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-back-from-julie-and-julia/504526/42 "2009-09-02T03:20:49Z")
> [@Reloy3](#): > > The other thing I was dissapointed in was the politics. I know this is an Nora Ephron film, so she has to inject her politics into everything (like Julie’s boss saying “a republican would have fired you” where the hell did that come from?) But a significant amount of screen time was dedicated to the Child’s battle with - DUN DUN DUN - McCarthyism. It all came down to her husband being called to Washington for a day, being cleared, and then going back to work until retirement. I think we were supposed to believe that the Child’s were punished somehow, but all that was shown is that they got a new posting to the south of France (oh, the humanity). He was a civil servant in the diplomatic corp that got reposted occasionally until he voluntarily retired. I expected something to come from it that never did. It all just seemed like Nora just wanted to add politics in wherever and whenever she can - and make her hero Julia Childs some kind of political hero, despite there being nothing there. This was the buzzkill for me as well. Needlessly overemphasized. Loved the cooking, the food & even Julie’s personal development. Thought the politics were added in just because you have to do that these days, and added nothing to the story. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-back-from-julie-and-julia/504526/43 "2009-09-06T01:16:18Z")
> [@Reloy3](#): > > The other thing I was dissapointed in was the politics. I know this is an Nora Ephron film, so she has to inject her politics into everything (like Julie’s boss saying “a republican would have fired you” where the hell did that come from?) I just came back from seeing it with my daughter. Yes, that scene was a \*WTF that was out of left field \*moment for me. I would submit a Republican WOULDN’T have fired her. I am a supervisor, and while it’s a bit of an irritant when someone calls in sick, if they have the time, we deal with it. If someone wants to _cough cough_ play hooky _cough cough_ as long as they’re willing to use up a vacation day for it, I really don’t trouble my mind too much about it. It seemed like Julie was already a pretty good cook before she started on Julia’s book (that bruschetta she made looked absolutely delicious) but the Chevy Chase (?) SNL skit (I assume that was the real thing?) was just gross. It was a bit sad to discover that Julia didn’t appreciate Julie’s efforts, but my daughter found the link to her blog so I’ll read my way through it. Maybe I’ll see what she found so off-putting. I found the scenes where Julia was faced with her childlessness (I assume it was not by choice she and Paul didn’t have children?) were poignant. From glancing at a carriage when they first arrive in Paris to breaking down at the news of her sister’s pregnancy (I got a bit weepy myself at that expression of pain) I am just in awe of Meryl Streep. She is so awesome. One question…was Paris in that good a shape four years after World War II? For some reason I’m thinking there were bombed out buildings and people foraging for scraps in the street. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-back-from-julie-and-julia/504526/44 "2009-09-06T06:27:35Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > One question…was Paris in that good a shape four years after World War II? For some reason I’m thinking there were bombed out buildings and people foraging for scraps in the street. I think your confusing Paris with Berlin or the other major German cities, Paris was largely untouched in the war, and the commander of the German garrison refused to blow engineering charges, that would have effectively created a bombed out city, before the Allies liberated it. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-back-from-julie-and-julia/504526/45 "2009-09-06T14:36:01Z")
I was impressed that both Childs lived into their nineties after having eaten all that butter! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-back-from-julie-and-julia/504526.md?page=2)