Mistura review – ice queen brings Peruvian culinary drama to a gentle simmer
Bárbara Mori stars in tepid tale of a high-society wife who opens a restaurant in her home after her husband leaves her What you expect from a film about a fancy high-end restaurant is a certain amount of heat: the roiling intensity of staff pushed to their absolute limits in the pursuit of gastronomic perfection. But this 1960s-set Peruvian drama instead maintains a gentle simmer, sedate and elegant. Perhaps it’s…
Key points
- Mistura is a 1960s-set Peruvian drama starring Bárbara Mori as Norma.
- Norma opens a restaurant at home after her husband leaves her.
- The Guardian review says the film stays gentle and sedate rather than intense.
Mistura is a 1960s-set Peruvian drama reviewed by The Guardian. Bárbara Mori plays Norma, a high-society wife who opens a restaurant in her home after her husband leaves her for a beauty queen.
The restaurant must succeed within four months before the bank repossesses the house. Norma hires a Japanese Peruvian sous-chef, while chauffeur Oscar works front of house.
What the review says
The Guardian describes the film as sedate and elegant rather than intense. Early reviews in the story call the French cuisine a bit trad, and the restaurant is half empty.
The review says the script is inconsistent about Norma's cooking experience. It also notes she is harsh to housekeeper Rosa and chauffeur Oscar.
it’s a bit too long to hold your nose and stick with her
— The Guardian
Teamwork and diversity
The film carries lessons about teamwork and embracing Peru's cultural diversity. The review says Norma is such an insufferable snob that it is hard to stay with her for so long.
