Good Eats

You may have tasted Mostly Martha before, but familiarity doesn't always sour the palette.

Martha is a neurotic chef who can scarcely take care of herself, and when her 8-year-old niece Lina is thrust into her custody, you begin to wonder whether either will survive the ordeal. And then that sneaking feeling starts at the back of your brain. You've seen this one before. There's a pinch of I Am Sam, a dash of Jerry Maguire, sprinkled with a little Chocolat and just a touch of Big Daddy.

However, the real success of Mostly Martha is that it finds a way to use this common recipe to weave its story into something that you can't help but smile at. Solid performances and stylish cinematography stir new life into what would otherwise be a bland film. Mostly Martha manages to be a savory truffle that is much tastier than the sum of its ingredients.