An odd but wonderful film, set within the world of fine cuisine, “MOSTLY MARTHA,” has been released by PARAMOUNT. 

“Martha” is a chef whom lives for cooking. So much so, that it’s consumed her entire life, and reason for being. Because of this, her boss at the restaurant where she’s employed has made therapy a requirement for her to work there.  Unlike “PRINCE OF TIDES,” the therapist doesn’t seem to be able to make any real breakthroughs with her, as she’d rather focus on fixing fine cuisine for him than deal with her own issues. 

But, alas, everything in Martha’s very controlled but unhappy life is about to change when she’s forced to deal with another chef and small child who’ve entered that sacred domain she’s force exiled herself to, the kitchen!.  The acting in this film is terrific!  Even though we don’t like many things about Martha, we see real depth in this character, and it’s nearly impossible to not like her.

The film has a great look to it, and every frame has been composed brilliantly!  The detail given to the environment around Martha is startling, especially in the way her surroundings relate to her own sense of identity, as well as others.

PARAMOUNT has provided the correct 1.85:1 aspect ratio for this release, with 16:9 enhancement.  Colors are surprisingly subdued at times, but the image is generally solid.  Contrast is decent, but blacks and grays aren’t deep enough to provide the clarity we’d have preferred in darker scenes.

PARAMOUNT has provided the original German dialogue with a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. It’s terrific!  The music is perfectly matched for the film’s overall mood, and is well complimented through all speakers.  While this is a dialogue-driven film, there are some ambient effects in rear speakers. Dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion.