Ratatouille (2007)
Pixar’s eighth film, and a winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Ratatouille is written and directed by Brad Bird and based on a story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco and Bird himself. It is the heartwarming tale of a rat and a man, whose paths through life are destined to combine as they reach to achieve their dreams.
Remy (Patton Oswalt) is an aspiring chef, and also a rat. Misunderstood and feared, he finds himself without a home, separated from his family, and peering through the skylight of a restaurant established by his culinary hero – the late, great Auguste Gusteau. Through mishap and mayhem, Remy befriends Linguini (Lou Romano) – a young man working as a garbage boy in Gusteau’s establishment, which is now ruled by the unpleasant and corrupt Skinner (Ian Holm). Remy has the talent, Linguini has the human form, but both want to succeed and be respected in the culinary world. Forming an unlikely alliance, they work together to follow their passions and save the restaurant.
This beautiful tale of aspiration, friendship, teamwork and acceptance takes the competitive realm of chefs and condiments and uses it to depict characters who follow their passion beyond the limitations set on them by society. Remy has an abundance of natural talent, but is prevented from performing his dream job by humans, because he is a rat. Linguini is keen to learn, but is held back by those that consider him to be a bumbling fool. Both characters are faced with seemingly insurmountable prejudice but, in finding acceptance in each other, they also find a way to reach their ‘happy ever after.’