How To Cook Your Life

How To Cook Your Life / 2008 Lionsgate / 93 Minutes / http://www.lionsgate.com /

Doris Dorrie is a name that is not too commonly known in the United States. Much of what Dorrie has done in the last twenty-years has been for the German market. Eir movies were titled Geld, Paradies, and Keiner Liebt Mich. “Enlightenment Guaranteed”, eir 2002 film, was the first time that Dorrie broke in a major way in the U.S. scene. This film, about two brothers that go to Japan to bring some sort of peace to their life, was given high acclaim all around. Five years have passed, and ‘How To Cook Your Life” is Dorrie’s next release.

This story details the Zen Master / Chef Edward Espe Brown and eir teaching a number of students a blend of religion and cooking. The film itself is interesting and shows the variety of activies with which Brown involves eirself. Tips and tricks about both cooking and Zen buddism are present in this film. Individuals that are perhaps not as tuned in to the quicker culture of major cities and the coasts will notice a disconnect from the world in which Brown and they live. This break shows a duality to America that is furthered by the duality of Brown’s life. Humor is abount in the film, not only from the absurd premise – a cook attempting to show individuals the most fulfilling path to life – but the interactions that Chef Brown has with the students and the world around eir.

Lionsgate has taken a bold step forward by delving into the realm of documentaries, especially those that have a limited audience due to their subject matter. The fact that this film did not have a wider theatrical release is sad; individuals will be able to take a number of things from the film, even if they could care less about Zen Buddhism or cooking. Dorrie has established eirself as a prominent filmmaker, and it should only be a matter of time before a wider subset of individuals become followers of everything Dorrie. I can’t just recommend this film to individuals that are interested in the subject material broached in the film: anyone that wants to see a good film or are pleased when a film has a message should go out of their way to see How To Cook Your Life.

Rating: 7.9/10

Please follow and like us: