“Anyone can cook.”
Auguste Gusteau, from the movie Ratatouille.
It would be a fact to say most of the younger generations have grown up with Disney. It’s hard to go anywhere without seeing the iconic mouse with his two big round ears and friendly smile. If you walk up to someone and ask them what their favorite Disney movie is, they may answer with; The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Lilo and Stitch, and the list goes on. However, one such movie is a definitive classic amongst these other classics. You may have heard of it, it’s about a chef who ends up going up the ranks from the help of a “little chef.” The movie I’m talking about is Ratatouille.
Now, you may be wondering why I picked Ratatouille out of the many classics people know. Well, I believe that it delivers a great message that everyone should know. It happens somewhere in the middle of the movie whenever Remy, the main character of the movie who is also a rat, encounters a fumbling new chef named Linguini in a busy kitchen. He’s talking to Gusteau, who is a figment of his imagination and also the titular chef of the restaurant, and Remy questions whether or not this guy can really cook. Gusteau then responds to him with this line: “What do I always say? Anyone can cook.” This is interesting, because it signifies the potential he sees in someone, even if that certain someone is struggling to even clean the kitchen of such a prestigious restaurant. This is one of the main messages of Ratatouille that is constantly shown throughout the movie, and I think is an important message to take with you as you go through life. The message rings true throughout the movie as eventually, Remy ends up cooking up a dish that can impress the strict, calculated critic of the movie, Anton Ego. Of course, not only Remy gets to shine, but so does Linguini as he finds his comfort in being a waiter instead of a chef. The importance of the quote “Anyone can cook,” is that it reflects the idea that everyone has the potential to achieve something. It may not be cooking, but it could apply to something you’re aiming to achieve in life. It could be applied to your journey towards getting into a career you like, or even a passion you want to pursue like writing or drawing. I may just be an optimist, but I do genuinely believe that everyone has the potential to do something and if they really believe in their ability, they can succeed. It is a rough road, but you just have to remember that you have potential and keep your head up. Till next time, stay safe and know that there’s a very talented rat guiding us all along our paths.
That is a charming movie! And this is a charming post. I must be honest, now, and say that I’m not sure of the titular rat’s its particular connection to digital culture. Are you a Pixar fan, Jinay? (Is that connection something so obvious in your own mind that you neglected to write specifically about it?). I think some discussion of Pixar and of the rise of animation in the 21st century might have worked well alongside your discussion of the film’s inspirational message…
I’m not actually a Pixar fan myself, but I just primarily thought about the message from the movie was something important that people should know about. I would think the movie is regarded as a classic, but I do agree I could have incorporated more about Pixar to support my discussion. Thank you for the feedback, professor!