Where i Watched It: HBO MAX

English Audio Description Available?: Yes

So, in case you are confused, because HBO MAX is currently running two different Julia things, both named Julia, this is the feature length documentary. Not the show that Sarah Lancashire missed out on an Emmy nomination for.

Admittedly, sometimes i watch too much shit, and then older titles don’t get reviewed as quickly, and some of my thoughts fade. I watched this two weeks ago, and I had to rewatch my video review to get an understanding of what the hell I was going to talk about here.

The basic thoughts I have are that this documentary is fine. I felt like I did learn a little more about Julia Child than i already did, for someone who was still alive into my 20’s, as well as someone I jsut watched a season of a TV show about their life, not to mention the Meryl Streep film. Most of it seems historical, as Julia speaks a lot in here, and she’s been dead since 2004, so i wonder how much filmmaking and ground work was required here, or if someone just assembled archive footage. It felt safe, like we got the version of Julia we all expected. And maybe, that’s what she was. Everything might just always be an accurate portrayal of her, and her public persona matched her personal one.

But, in the world of documentaries, especially having watched Julia after Road Runner, i saw what a documentary about a world renowned chef could be, and Julia felt like something I could show in class for high schoolers if i happened to be the substitute for a day. Where Road Runner feels dangerous, Julia feels textbook. Not that formulas aren’t bad, Julia Child spent her life creating perfect recipes for everyone to follow. But that splash of originality is what made Julia more than just an average chef to begin with, and it’s the same thing that takes a documentary from good to great.

The Blind Perspective: I think this is robodescription. There was no credited anything at the end of this, which is never a good sign, but a first for me with HBO MAX. I hope I’m not calling a real life person a robot, but I feel pretty secure in saying that this sounded like Alexa was narrating.

Final Grade: B