Coming soon – Toast

I don’t normally plug a movie before screening it unless I’m interviewing the filmmaker; however, I was just reading the Landmark Theater newsletter and a new food in film flick is coming out that looks scrumptious!

Toast is the ultimate nostalgia trip through everything edible in 1960’s Britain. Based on the hilarious and touching memoir of food writer Nigel Slater’s childhood, and set to the songs of Dusty Springfield, it’s a delicious love letter to the tastes and smells that turned a young boy into a lifelong foodie. Nigel’s mother (Victoria Hamilton) appears to have been the world’s worst cook, boiling unopened cans of food to a soggy pulp and nervously refusing young Nigel’s (Oscar Kennedy) suggestions that she try an occasional fresh veg. After many a ruined dinner they fall back on that old reliable, toast—the one dish she has mastered. But Nigel loves her dearly, and is devastated by her early death, leaving him and his lonely dad (Ken Stott) to look after each other. When new cleaner Mrs. Potter (Helena Bonham Carter) arrives, her curves, charms and fabulous lemon meringue pies quickly bewitch Nigel’s father, and, much to his son’s horror, the three move to the country to live together. The one silver lining is Domestic Science class at Nigel’s new school, where Nigel (now played by Freddie Highmore) can finally shine. Soon he and Mrs. P. have embarked on a highly competitive cooking duel, vying for Dad’s affections.

Making a film where food plays a key role does have its drawbacks, not simply due to the temptation to gorge on giant slices of lemon meringue pie and luminous pink trifles which I can assure you instigated a constant battle between indulgence and self-control, but also and more importantly—how do you bring food to life?– director S. J. Clarkson  (Excerpt from Landmark Theaters Exclusive Read More).