A Short Salute to Ralph Fiennes

The Menu has been receiving raving reviews from fans across the board. I think Mr. Ralph Fiennes deserves recognition for his portrayal of antagonist Chef Slowik in the film.

The man, the myth, the legend. Photo from Looper.

2022 came to a fun end of the year with the fantastic dark comedy horror film, The Menu. As this past year's media has concentrated on the fall of the rich and wealthy, such we've seen with White Lotus and Glass Onion, The Menu is a lovely addition to the growing list.

I had a blast watching this film on HBO Max. While the film was decently predictable, I had no clue how things were going to exactly pan out. It was a film that fed my soul. What I'm really here to do today is talk about English actor Ralph Fiennes portraying the character of Chef Slowik in the piece, and to send a homage to his range and ability as an actor.

***SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE MENU***

Fiennes isn't a new face in the acting world, via the stage or the screen. We've gotten some very memorable characters out of Fiennes, from his role as Justin Quayle in The Constant Garden, to one of his most popular role as M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel. We also got him as Amon Goeth in Shindler's List, Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies, and even as the voice of Lord Victor Quartermaine in Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

Fiennes vs. his makeup and prosthetics for playing Lord Voldemort. Photo from Variety.

Over time, as evident from many of his starring roles on IMDB, Fiennes has portrayed more and more villains beautifully. Playing antagonists is quite the art, as you are tapping into very specific backstories and mindsets for these characters in order to give them depth and bring out the true terror of the written script.

In all honesty, all characters matter, but I personally find antagonist rolls to be a special challenge on screen, as audience memebers want a believable villain on screen, no matter if they are a classic "twisty-mustache-I-tied-your-girl-to-traintracks" villain, or a more physiological villain who messes with the hero's brain through manipulation or exploitation.

Fiennes in Schildner's List-- an historically terrifying antagonist. Photo sourced from Cambridge Arts Theatre.

Fiennes in The Menu is no different as an antagonist. Playing Chef Slowik hosting an "elitist" dining experience for the rich, many themes, ideas, and character traits in this film are scary real (especially for all of you in the 1%).

Slowik is a secretive man the minute we meet him. He consistently withholds these oddly expressionless, deadpan eyes that makes the diners slightly uncomfortable, and even more uncomfortable as the piece progresses and madness ensues. He speaks with confidence and calmness, making us feel more uneasy as we go-- and no one can forget the iconic claps between courses that snaps us back to the story of food at hand.

This character amazes me, as he has the rage of millions of food service workers pent up inside, bursting out in a delectably sinister way. Chef Slowik has one goal, and that is to teach these rich assholes a lesson in culinary arts...

And to murder them.

Slowik among the (one) good, the bad, and the ugly. Photo sourced from Bon Appetit.

What Fiennes does that amazes me is installs fear and uncertainty through his character into others. Slowik is not a chef that smiles or puts on a mask of pleasantries to hid his sinister plans. He is a calculated character, of course, with an important back story.

Fiennes really shows off his acting range in the cheeseburger scene. In this scene. Margot (played by Anya Taylor-James) has run out of options. Her luck is up. Any chance she was given of escaping is seemly gone. She's stuck with the rest of the entitled iditots in the room, waiting for the grand finale dessert.

Chef Slowik and Margot standing together earlier in the movie. Photo from Eater.

Before Chef can call the last course, Margot decides to ask for a plain Jane cheeseburger (a character background point that she had discovered when going to the meat locker), as she rebells and says she has not liked any of the food he has made, nor has eaten any of his dishes. This, surprises Slowik and cons him into digging back into his roots.

What's absolutely lovely about this scene is watching Slowik cook, and how Fiennes portrays this act. The tiny, almost nothingness smirks Fiennes uses while Slowik cooks, the movement of his hands in the shots over the grill, flipping the burgers, and dressing the plate feels like a love and passion that hasn't been brought out of this character for decades. The way his eyes crinkle as he walks his way over to Margot and watches her take a generous bite out of the burger-- not just eating, but tasting, appreciating, and savoring. The way he watches in slightly hidden anticipation to what her reaction will be.

It was this scene and Fiennes's work that made my heart melt. It truly made me feel for his character and the situation. I loved the dynamic between Slowik and Margot, and it was fun to watch both actors play out the final transaction of a meal-- getting the check, getting a box to go, and tipping the server.

That perfectly prepared cheeseburger. Photo from Buzzfeed.

The main point I wanted to get across in this article is that acting is a matriculate art form that is so vital to storytelling in this industry, and if you have it, you have it... and Fiennes has it. It was a pleasure having him in The Menu, among his other rises to fame, and I hope he can continue bringing to life more characters in future movies and shows for audiences to enjoy.