European cinema seems able to draw upon some excellent actors, who perform on screen without an audience thinking "oh, they are actors". This movie is witty, and painful, and musical ---- you will be humming or attempting the words of that Italian song! Martha the chef is workaholic in a way we all recognize and are not repelled by. Her scenes with the therapist are great comedy. The restaurant-kitchen scenes surpass anything I have previously seen in any movie --- thrilling, absorbing, completely enthralling. I don't know why Hollywood wanted to re-hash this top-drawer movie into a B-entertainment piece under a silly title. I have watched MOSTLY MARTHA perhaps six or seven times and will certainly repeat the pleasure. After I first saw it in a movie theatre, I walked out asking my companion "Why can't all movies be as genuine as this?"

A bit of Teutonic charm that brings you along almost effortlessly. It earns a 9 out of 10 from me, an almost perfect balancing of elements both sweet and savory. If you are a "foodie" then you will enjoy the kitchen scenes and attitudes. Food preparation is Martha's raisin d'etre, at least until she is forced to change from chef to caretaker of her sister's daughter. Then the grip Martha has on her world goes from "tight with the occasional slip" to "strained and slippery".Romantics will enjoy a process of interaction that becomes attraction between Martha and the new chef Mario. Their's is a perfectly paced interplay of her tense misgivings against his amiable demeanor. One almost wishes that Martha's psychiatrist demonstrated as much insight as Mario.No, the movie isn't perfect. The ending was a bit elaborate, a slightly simpler one might have been more effective. But it's by no means a bad ending as is. Small tweaks here and there would have made this a ten for me, but I suspect many viewers may find it a 10 in their books.I watched this with Rare Birds. Another supposedly foodie movie, but in fact, one that barely qualifies as such although Rare Birds is a pleasant two hours. Mostly Martha, as a double feature, would go very well with Chocolat. But it could also be paired with Eat, Drink, Man, Woman for a fusion of east - west dining/movies experience.

The charms outweigh the clichés in "Mostly Martha (Bella Martha)." Of course it's right away different in that the phrase "German romantic comedy" isn't common and can be applied here.I loved that "Martha" herself is a competent, self-possessed professional and that's what attracts the guy to her. While we first meet her in therapy, her problems are those of work and personal life I could certainly relate to.While this will remind others of food prep movies like "Wedding Banquet," "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman," and "Tortilla Soup" or restaurant movies like "Dinner Rush" and "Big Night," (which all had male chefs), or "Babette's Feast," I have zero interest in cooking so cared only that "Martha" is very good at her job and at managing the restaurant kitchen.The restaurant characters seem like real co-workers, and amazingly the niece is not some adorable child actor but seems like a real kid whose surliness is legit.The Italian sous chef who comes on board brings the sensuality of the Mediterranean --in music (with a generous use of Paolo Conte songs), movement and language much like in the Danish "Italian for Beginners." And of course in romance, which is still delightful even as the clichés start appearing, her happiness is indicated by her loosened hair like Jane Fonda's in "Electric Horseman."But I enjoyed the build-up to their relationship in ever longer, longing glances and their mutual professional respect and concluding compromises.(originally written 9/2/2002)

I really can't understand how this movie gets a rating beyond 2 (and 2 is already optimistic). In my opinion the acting was poor and totally non-charismatic, the story was not convincing and in addition, the title of the movie does not keep its promise as well.I've seen a lot of movies by now (among them also a lot of boring ones), but this particular one is the undefeated number 1 of the most boring movies existing on planet earth.Go ahead and convince yourself, but I think that you would be better off if you did anything else in these nearly two hours. Take a walk, go out drinking, meet a friend of yours, polish your car or masturbate in front of your computer, do anything and you would be more creative than the director of this movie was.One good thing: I liked the images, colors, the settings and the shooting in general. Props to the director of photography, but nobody can compensate such a story and such bad acting.