Thursday, October 4, 2007

prodigal rat?

I had the pleasure of seeing Ratatouille a few weeks ago. While I was skeptical of a movie about rats and food, it turned out be quite a fun film. I will say that I would even like to see it again. And for one scene in particular.

There is one scene that I have asked several people about but none have seen what I feel I saw. There is a scene where the main character is reunited with his family that feels an awful lot like an inversion of the prodigal son. In the biblical story, the son leaves with is inheritance and spends it unwisely and ends up living among the pigs and longing just to eat the pig slop. He then turns home hoping his father will have him back. His father throws a magnificent feast. In the film, the son goes to live the highlife as a chef at a prominent Parisian restaurant dining on the best cuisine. He then is discovers his family is living in Paris too. He goes with his brother to meet his father. He is welcomed back with open arms and a banquet of garbage with the older brother happily looking on. There is so much that seems familiar but with the circumstances flipped.