As Gouda as it Gets (2020)
(On Cable TV, November 2021) How can you resist a film with a title like As Gouda as it Gets? Sure, it’s a Hallmark-type small-town romantic comedy, firmly set in the food subgenre. No, it doesn’t have anything to do with the similar you’re Bacon Me Crazy. Frankly, the title sets the bar a bit too high — the film isn’t as witty, funny or memorable as how it presents itself. But it does remain a pleasant little diversion. In a slight variation from the routine plot, our story has to do with a small-town Vermont artisan cheesemaker named Brie who encounters a famous food commentator (and ex-chef) who has come from some big city to the rural town where everything takes place. There’s a cheese festival underway, and among the other esteemed guests is the president of a vast cheese-making conglomerate who’s there to act (briefly) as a false romantic rival and (constantly) as a business competitor. There are no surprises in the plot, but the look at the cheese-making can be intriguing — and food is one area where many food-themed romantic comedies often falter. The rural Vermont atmosphere feels nice, but the movie itself was shot in and around Montréal, accounting for the familiarity. (This is the first film I’ve seen that includes a few thanks to the small town of Hudson, QC — a stop on the way between Montréal and Ottawa.) Kim Shaw is fine as the lead character, with some assistance from Clayton James as the romantic interest. The rest of the film is on autopilot — although the almost-absurd refusal to have any kind of unpleasantness gets funny after a while: who knew evil CEOs could be so reasonable? And what about a year’s entire cheese production ruined but not being much more than an excuse for our lovers to cook together? It’s that kind of movie — amiable, predictable, hunger-inducing (yes, I have purchased some smoked Gouda between watching the film and writing this review) and utterly comforting. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially as a counterbalance to the kinds of sadistic horror films that make up too much of my viewing these days.