No Reservations (DVD, 2008)

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart are charming in the romantic comedy NO RESERVATIONS. Zeta-Jones stars as Kate, an executive chef at a popular restaurant in New York City's Greenwich Village. She is so dedicated to her job that she has no time for a personal life; she even brings gourmet cuisine to her therapist (Bob Balaban), feeding him food rather than opening up her soul. But her life changes when her sister dies in a car accident, leaving Kate to take care of her sister's young daughter, Zoe (Abigail Breslin, from LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE). Suddenly, Kate is responsible for more than just fancy dishes; she is responsible for another human being, which confounds her. After taking a few days off, she returns to her kitchen, only to find that the restaurant owner, Paula (Patricia Clarkson), has hired another chef to assist Kate, a playful, talkative, talented man named Nick (Aaron Eckhart) who likes listening to opera while he works (Kate considers that a major distraction) and so wins over the rest of the staff that Kate feels threatened. But deep down, she also feels a little attracted by the attention Nick pours on her. However, Kate is not sure she can mix being a mother, a master chef, and, perhaps, a lover. NO RESERVATIONS, based on the award-winning German film BELLA MARTHA (MOSTLY MARTHA) (Sandra Nettelbeck, 2001), is a satisfying soufflé of comedy and romance, directed by Scott Hicks (SHINE, SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS) and featuring a piano-based soundtrack by minimalist musician Philip Glass. And just as she did in LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, Breslin will both charm and break viewers' hearts.