Cook Off! is a 2007 American mockumentary comedy film directed by Cathryn Michon and Guy Shalem. The film was released on November 17, 2017, after being shelved for 10 years.[2]

Cook Off!
Teaser poster
Directed byCathryn Michon
Guy Shalem
Written by
Based onThe Grrl Genius Guide to Life
by Cathryn Michon
Starring
CinematographyBruce Dickson
Edited by
  • Cathryn Michon
  • Mallory Gottlieb
  • Michael Demirjian
Music byJoel Beckerman
Distributed byLionsgate Premiere
Release dates
Running time
98 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Synopsis

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A group of quirky people is competing in a famed cooking contest for the grand prize of one million dollars.[3]

Cast

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Production

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The film was already finished by 2007, but was shelved without explanation for a decade. In September 2017, Lionsgate Premiere reportedly was to finally release the film.[5] Lionsgate had reportedly edited the film prior to release by cutting 20 minutes of footage and adding 22 minutes of previously unused footage.[6]

Release

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The film made its worldwide premiere at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado, in February 2007.[7] The film was released in theaters and on VOD on November 17, 2017.[8]

Reception

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On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an average rating of 25% based on eight reviews, with an average rating of 6.20/10.[1]

John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter writes, "Cook Off! piles some better-than-this comedians into a culinary competition whose dishes look as unpalatable as the film itself."[9] Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times writes: "The movie tries to do for amateur cooking contests what Best in Show did for dog competitions, but the strained folksiness and tired stereotypes couldn’t be further from the snap and wit of prime Christopher Guest.[10] Michael Rechtshaffen of the Los Angeles Times writes, "Wafting into theaters after sitting on the back burner for the last decade, Cook Off! is a shrill, gloppy mess of a mockumentary being served up well past its "best before" date — if there ever actually were one."[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Cook Off! (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  2. ^ Fletcher, Rosie (September 21, 2017). "Melissa McCarthy movie Cook-Off! finally gets a release date and trailer after sitting on the shelf for 10 years". Digital Spy. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  3. ^ Jagernauth, Kevin (September 19, 2017). "'Cook-Off!' Trailer: Long Shelved Melissa McCarthy Comedy Finally Sees The Light of Day". The Playlist. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Hipes, Patrick (September 19, 2017). "'Cook Off!' Trailer: Melissa McCarthy Comedy Reheated Ten Years Later". Deadline. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  5. ^ "Cook-Off! Trailer: Melissa McCarthy Gets Her Hands (and Face) Dirty". Vulture. September 19, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  6. ^ Fletcher, Rosie (September 21, 2017). "Melissa McCarthy movie Cook-Off! finally gets a release date and trailer after sitting on the shelf for 10 years". Digital Spy. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  7. ^ Bond, Nick (September 21, 2017). "Melissa McCarthy's latest film is actually 10 years old". Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  8. ^ "Cook Off! Trailer: Watch Melissa McCarthy Try Her Hand At A Mockumentary". CinemaBlend. 21 September 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  9. ^ Staff, T. H. R. (17 November 2017). "'Cook Off': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  10. ^ Kenigsberg, Ben (16 November 2017). "Review: 'Cook Off!' Gives Chefs the 'Best in Show' Treatment". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 August 2021 – via NYTimes.com.
  11. ^ "Review: Stale mockumentary 'Cook Off!' misses its mark". Los Angeles Times. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
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