150 Word Review: 'The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover' (1989)

Hell's kitchen

Photo: Palace Pictures

There's a scene in this gruesomely beautiful erotic acid trip where Helen Mirren, as the wife, and Alan Howard, as her lover, meet and silently seduce each other in the toilet stall of the bright, pristine, impossibly white bathroom of an upscale French restaurant where every room is a new dimension of color: a filthy green kitchen, a dining hall red, like meat.

The pair’s attraction is instant and passionate, almost innocent, and their lovemaking is interrupted by her husband, played by Michael Gambon, a thieving monster who terrorizes her, as well as the patrons and the kind-hearted cook, of the restaurant, where he stuffs his face like a glutton while surrounded by henchmen.

Director Peter Greenaway's The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, And Her Lover is a stunning, lurid work of theatre; every shot is crammed with sensuality and texture. The cruelty is shocking, and the nudity is poignant.

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Random Ranking

Top 5 Helen Mirren Movies

5. 'Excaliber' (1981)

4. 'The Queen' (2006)

3. 'The Mosquito Coast' (1986)

2. 'The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, And Her Lover' (1989)

1. 'The Long Good Friday' (1990)

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