MOVIE REVIEW
“Spinning Plates”
Grade: B
Starring Grant Achatz, Cindy Brietbach and Francisco Martinez. Directed by Joseph Levy.
Unrated. At Landmark Midtown. 1 hour, 33 minutes.
Bottom line: It's tough to find a theme, but the stories are compelling
By Walter Addiego
San Francisco Chronicle
“Spinning Plates” is a feature documentary that tells compelling stories of the people behind three wildly different American restaurants. The tales are worthwhile, but it’s challenging to find a common thread among them that goes beyond vague generalities.
One of the subjects is a genuine culinary superstar — Grant Achatz of Chicago’s Alinea, winner of three Michelin stars and considered by some to be America’s top restaurant. He is a wizard of molecular gastronomy, which uses techniques derived from science labs on unexpected combinations of ingredients to create dishes of startling innovation. It’s work that demands extraordinary drive and perfectionism, and Achatz, who trained with Thomas Keller and Charlie Trotter, fits the bill perfectly.
Switching to what seems another universe, the movie takes us to Breitbach’s Country Dining, an institution beloved by the residents of Balltown, Iowa, where it’s been run by the same family for six generations. The joint serves down-home American classics, about as far as you can get from Achatz’s elite fare. Proprietor Mike Breitbach discusses the restaurant’s important role in the town — it’s hard to imagine a more loyal clientele, some of whom are trusted to open up the place if a staffer is running late.
A less happy story is that of Francisco and Gabby Martinez, two incredibly appealing and hardworking immigrants struggling to keep the doors open at their Mexican restaurant near Tucson. Raising a young daughter while serving as the restaurant’s only staff, the couple are forced to mortgage their house for operating funds.
Achatz and the Breitbach family have faced obstacles, as well. Diagnosed with tongue cancer, Achatz, true to his character, sought and received cutting-edge treatment, which has so far been successful. The Breitbachs’ place burned down twice in the course of one year, and each time the community rallied to help rebuild it.
Well, everyone faces adversity, and if that’s supposed to be what unites these stories, it’s pretty underwhelming. Is the point that the restaurants represent three different social classes? Or culinary styles? Your guess is as good as mine.
The movie, a first-time directorial effort by Joseph Levy, a former Food Network producer, is competently made, and the stories are affecting. For those who can get over the compulsion to find a theme, “Spinning Plates” is a decent aggregation of shorts.
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