This is a well-made, classy movie that should make foodies drool and which hopes to inspire its viewers to treat everyone with respect.  It’s “hook” is the food angle — specifically its story of how an Indian family establishes a restaurant in France, right across the street from an acclaimed French restaurant, which prospers under unlikely circumstances.

But that isn’t what the movie is about.  It’s about basic human dignity, and the need for people to stand strong against discrimination and tyranny and build a better life for themselves.  It depicts how stereotyping others, particularly people of differing cultures, leads to distrust, and often open hostility, for little or no reason.  Food is its manner of bringing people together, of demonstrating that we are all equal in this world, and that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and honor.

Lasse Hallström’s film makes its points with grace, humor and sensitivity.  Even so, I must admit that I sometimes felt manipulated while watching events unfold.  The film tries very hard not to preach, yet its set-up is so one-sided that it cannot avoid a certain preachiness.  Thankfully, the story boasts a great deal of charm, especially from leads Helen Mirren and Om Puri, as well as relative newcomer Charlotte Le Bon, who is wonderful as Marguerite.  The whole thing reminded me a great deal of another Hallström movie involving food and prejudice, Chocolat.  If you are a fan of that film, which was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, I’m sure that you will enjoy The Hundred-Foot Journey.  ☆ ☆ ☆.  13 September 2014.