AMD 1

For this AMD I watched the film "Soul Kitchen," directed by Fatih Akin. I had previously enjoyed Akin's "Head-On" but found it a bit depressing,  so I was curious to see what he would do with more light-hearted subject matter.  The film revolves around Zinos, who owns a greasy-spoon diner in an old warehouse in Hamburg (the titular "Soul Kitchen") and has a complicated personal life: his girlfriend is leaving for Shanghai to work as a foreign correspondent, his brother is a master thief recently put on parole and he experiences a debilitating back injury after trying to move a dishwasher.  While visiting his girlfriend and her grandmother for dinner at an upscale restaurant, he witnesses the firing of chef Shayn, who refused to heat a patron's gazpacho.  He compliments Shayn's cooking and Shayn sarcastically asks if he could give him a job, prompting Zinos to hire him at Soul Kitchen.  Shayn redesigns the restaurant's menu, replacing fried foods and pizzas with gourmet cuisine, which Zinos' loyal clientele angrily rejects. Complicating matters, Zinos' old school mate, Thomas Neumann, wants to buy the land on which the restaurant is located.  When Zinos refuses, he contacts the health department, lying about a food poisoning incident in an attempt to shut down Soul Kitchen. Nonetheless, Zinos continues to rework his business, learning how to cook and hiring a band to play live music, creating a festive atmosphere that eventually becomes a great success. However, his life takes another downward turn and he is beset by continued attempts to shut down and sell his restaurant. Making matters worse, his girlfriend becomes increasingly distant, eventually leaving him for a man she met in Shanghai. The film then follows his comical attempts to regain control of his business and personal life.  I found the film funny and charming, with a well-cast group of quirky characters, even if the rags-to-riches (and back again) story was somewhat predictable.  I also found the number of subplots a bit excessive (Neumann and the health inspectors, the band, the new chef, the back injury and Zinos' romance with his chiropractor, the distant girlfriend, the romance between his brother and the waitress...) But overall, it is a very vibrant and fun look at the youth culture of Hamburg (and has, as the title implies, a great soundtrack).