The Chef

Tourné intégralement dans le décor d’un restaurant, le service de soirée mouvementé auquel on assiste vire à la cata de toutes les façons possibles et imaginables. C’est filmé de façon dynamique, la qualité y est et, surtout, on se laisse agréablement emporter du début à la fin. Et à voir l’évolution des évaluations, Boiling Point semble être l’un des films à atteindre le point d’ébullition cette année ! [KVIFF 2021] (25/08/2021)

Six years of my life crammed into a 90 minute film! Boiling Point is strongly emotional and a new favourite for me, it not only made me happy, but also swept me away. The entire film is shot in one take, taking place over the course of one evening during the busiest day of the year, and it's an adrenaline-pumping, stressful, suspenseful, realistic, superbly acted and emotional ride that made me anxious and uncomfortable at the same time. I've lived all the situations and several times, so I experienced the pressure along with the main characters. Stephen Graham's performance is excellent, but the rest of the cast doesn't fall short either, everyone has at least one highlight scene. I was slightly hoping for more build-up at the end, I could think of a few more escalate-it-all situations in my head, but I'm still satisfied. Definitely an original and unconventional film that should be shown in schools. Story 3/5, Action 0/5, Humour 3/5, Violence 0/5, Fun 4/5 Music 3/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 5/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotions 4/5, Actors 5/5. 9/10. (13/01/2022)

Barantini serves up pure hell on a golden tray. Graham’s chef experiences the worst shift in his life. A packed restaurant, a visit from the hygiene department, a well-known food critic accompanied by a mate who owes him money and his ex-wife on the phone complaining that he didn’t wish his son a good night. Mistakes by the staff, bad communication, no time to spare. Boiling Point is about extremes, but real life can be just this fraught. Maybe this might not happen during one shift, but over the course of a week, but even so... The pressure is immense and unbearable. The question isn’t whether, but when... (16/05/2022)

An engaging, incredibly intense film filled with emotions and energy, and the most interesting premiere of 2021 for me. A luxurious dessert served by a team of British actors led by Stephen Graham. His performance in Boiling Point and his role as a prison guard in the miniseries Time made me consider placing him among my favorite creators. During one hectic evening, the long-standing personal crisis of the chef and restaurant owner culminates, and things start happening... Philip Barantini, without much directorial experience and with a modest budget, managed to shoot a great action film in the space of a restaurant, in which I couldn't find any significant weaknesses. However, if I had to highlight something besides the acting, it would definitely be Lewis's brilliant cinematography; 90 minutes in one shot is not something you see every day. I wish all film enthusiasts Bon Appétit while watching Boiling Point. Overall impression: 90%. (03/02/2022)

A first-rate cameraman exhibition. A 92-minute gastro inferno shot in one take that is intense, raw and very realistically rendered. In that hour an a half, the actors will win you over more than in many a film, and that goes for the supporting roles as well. I can't remember the last time when the running of a restaurant was so believably staged and so impressively translated to the screen. Paradoxically, it could have been perhaps a little longer and some of the story's digressions could have been more literally retold, but it still simmers nicely under the lid. (31/07/2022)