Festival alumni Jack C. Newell (director of Close Quarters and Open Tables) has a new documentary on VOD that can also be seen on the big screen in cities scattered across the country this winter. The documentary, 42 Grams, takes an intimate look into the lives of couple as they open a restaurant and how it affects their work, as well as their marriage.
After working at some of the world’s best restaurants, Jake’s aggressive personality kept him from finding a kitchen to call home. A chef without a restaurant, Jake began cooking fifteen-course menus out of his apartment. Alongside his dedicated wife Alexa, their “underground” restaurant becomes a foodie hot spot. The experience is unique: they present refined flavors while dirty dishes soak in their bedroom. A year later, they take out a lease on an abandoned chicken joint to open a real restaurant, 42 Grams. The film follows them developing menus, hiring and firing staff, shows Jake’s temper, the strains on their marriage, and what they risk in their pursuit of the American Dream.
“I met Jake and Alexa after eating at the ‘underground’ restaurant they ran out of their home,” according to Newell from his director’s statement. “It was some of the best food I had ever tasted. I asked the couple if they would be open to me filming their food prep and presentation process, and they agreed.”
When Newell started the process his focus was on “the intent of an artist.” It was only after the film’s subjects became more relaxed having the camera on them that their discussions expanded into their marriage and aspirations.
See this award-winning film in one of the following theatres this season:
Chicago, Illinois • Gene Siskel Film Center
January 27 | January 28 | January 31 | February 1
Portland, Oregon • Clinton Street Theater
January 23 | January 24
Phoenix, Arizona • FilmBar
January 27
Somerville, Massachusetts • Somerville Theater
January 25
Albuquerque, New Mexico • Guild Cinema
January 27
Iowa City, Iowa • FilmScene
February 11
If unable to see the film in one of these cities, watch today on iTunes, Amazon, Vimeo, Google Play, or Vudu. For more information on 42 Grams: The Evolution of a Chef, visit 42gramsfilm.com.
