With lashings of style, heaps of psychological horror, a liberal sprinkling of comedy and a generous helping of mystery to boot, there’s no doubting The Menu boasts a recipe for success! Available to rent on Virgin Movies from March 3rd from €4.99, it’s a wonderfully realised journey into a high-end restaurant where mouthwatering flavours are far from the only surprises being served up.
And given the unpredictable plot, it seems lucky that one of its stars was on the right side of the camera. “I’m absolutely insufferable to watch films or television with,” confesses Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays restaurant patron Margot Mills. “Because I guess things; next lines, endings, or overarching themes. Luckily my partner doesn’t mind it that much, but other people… With this one, I really didn’t know what was going to happen, and I kept being surprised by it.
“I’m really on the lookout for not just unique stories to tell for an audience but unique experiences for myself, and I thought, ‘I want to be in that room when these things go down!’ And I really was not disappointed – I had the time of my life.”
A meticulously crafted film that’s sure to satisfy no matter what your taste, it tells the story of a young couple who travel to an exclusive dining destination only to find a whole lot more on their plates than the food. Ralph Fiennes towers over proceedings as the enigmatic Chef Slowik, while Margot’s dining partner, Tyler Ledford, is played by the inimitable Nicolas Hoult – who’s no less effusive about his time on set.
“It was like having a front row seat at a brilliant play each day,” he says. “Laughing when people were improvising wildly, but also with such deep emotion and fear… The atmosphere in there was pretty electric.”
While the combination of dark comedy and eerie psychological horror is positively moreish, there’s no denying that it’s a tricky balance to strike. Director Mark Mylod – long recognised as one of telly’s hottest properties through his work on shows from Game of Thrones to Succession – was the man charged with getting it right, and Anya is full of admiration for just how it was done.
“It’s a teeny tiny target to hit, and I feel like Mark just nailed the bullseye. For us as performers, we were lucky to shoot most scenes chronologically; we began having a lot of laughs, feeling like we were at a dinner party getting to know each other – but then there’s a very specific moment where things started to turn.
“I’ve always found that the juxtaposition of light and dark is the best way to get the most out of both of them,” she continues. “So if you have a really big scare, and then you have a laugh immediately following it, that rise-and-release of tension? As an audience member I just adore it.”
And Nicholas points out that if you find yourself hungry for seconds, there may well be a good reason. “When our characters arrive you think they’re one thing…and they’re not. Playing the characters, there’s layers of their relationship to unpick and little clues to leave along the way. When you go back and watch the film a second time, maybe there’s a little hint of what’s to come.”
One thing’s for sure; The Menu offers plenty to chew on!
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