No Reservations

Therapist: Kids like fishsticks….
Kate: I can’t believe I’m actually paying for these suggestions.


Mostly Martha was remade in English as No Reservations, which starred Catherine Zeta-Jones as Kate and Aaron Eckhart as Nick, the two chefs with different approaches to both cooking and life. No Reservations draws heavily on Mostly Martha, essentially translating the plot to New York City; indeed, Carol Fuchs’ English screenplay draws very heavily on the original German screenplay by Sandra Nettelbeck. Directed by Scott Hicks, No Reservations has earned a total worldwide box office of more than $92 million, thanks in large part to Zeta-Jones’ audience appeal.

According to Hollywood lore, Zeta-Jones worked as a waitress at New York City’s Fiamma Osteria in preparation for her role as Kate. Many customers remarked that she resembled Catherine Zeta-Jones, to which she responded, “I hear that all the time.”

The movie also features Patricia Clarkson as Paula, Jenny Wade as Leah, Bob Balaban as the Therapist, Brian F. O’Byrne as Sean, and Lilly Rabe as Bernadette.

Although the film did not win critical acclaim when released in 2007, Abigail Breslin was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Leading Young Actress for her portrayal of Zoe. Ironically, this remake features a quite telling line, spoken by the therapist: “It’s the recipes that you create yourself that are the best.”