Ratatouille. Rat-patootey. One of my favorite Pixar movies, and one that feels largely forgotten, but remembered fondly when some nerd like me brings it up. It was a real standout during the year it debuted, going up against Surf’s Up, Meet the Robinsons, and the one and only Bee Movie. The lighting/color is extra solid, it’s got one of my favorite scores (though anything by Giacchino is likely to make that list), and nuanced animation. I don’t exactly know who this movie was made for (perhaps I underestimate the ability of kids to relate to the struggles of a burgeoning artist) but I’m glad they made it. And I’m not saying this just because I’m also an artist trying to break into the industry. Or a rat.
On a recent watchthrough, I storyclocked the film, my preferred way of analyzing/visualizing the overall plot of movies. For those that aren’t familiar, a storyclock represents the total runtime of the movie spread out around the circumference of a circular “clock.” For Ratatouille, 55 minutes is at very bottom of the clock. Story points are then plotted around the circle based on when they happen in the movie’s runtime. By tracking story points this way, you can visually record plot threads and see when things are set up and then called back to or paid off. Often these moments will create symmetrical patterns when connected across the middle of the clock. Sometimes they don’t. But that’s just stories for ya.
I wanted to share my analysis/summary of the film so you can watch Ratatouille and not feel the need to compulsively storyclock each moment, like I do. I wanted to analyze Ratatouille because unlike most animated movies, there’s not a physical goal to reach or a single big baddie to defeat, rather a series of escalating tests that serve to, well, test Remy’s abilities and his friendship with Linguini. I most definitely do not know enough about movies to be a film critic - I'm just someone logging their thoughts and trying to learn story structure - so take from this what you will. Usually my storyclocks get very messy and end up being unintelligible to anyone other than me and handwriting experts. The one for Ratatouille actually came out better than usual, but is still vastly cluttered (and was called “intimidating” by some of my friends at Lipscomb). I’ll break down the most important stuff below in case you too are intimidated by my small handwriting and poor space management.
Normalcy: Remy is a genuinely talented rat chef but is frustrated by being denied the proper tools or recognition to fully develop his gift.
Inciting Incident: Remy needs saffron for his thunderbolt mushroom. It all goes downhill from this decision.
Big Push: Remy is seen by the old lady, who in her panic/fury exposes and routs Remy’s entire rat family. Nothing can ever be the same again.
Break Into Act 2: Remy, now on his own, teams up with Linguini. They both stand to gain from this partnership – Remy can finally cook in a real kitchen, and Linguini won’t get fired from his job in a real kitchen.
Series of Tests: Act 2 then progresses with the duo continually coming up against tests of increasing difficulty (they must recreate Remy’s soup, they must come up with a new menu item) until they are challenged by the ultimate threat, Anton Ego, the Grim Eater.
Building tension: All throughout this process, Remy and Linguini are becoming increasingly dishonest with each other. Linguini takes credit for what is actually Remy’s talent and forgets Remy due to falling in love with Colette. Remy steals food from the restaurant to support his family.
Low point: This all culminates at the movie’s lowest point. Linguini and Remy break up, Remy is captured by chef Skinner, and Linguini is faced with meeting Ego’s impossible order by himself.
Break into Act 3: After being rescued by his family, Remy decides not to abandon Linguini and in turn, Linguini finally gives Remy the public credit he deserves. Both have made a critical decision – Remy, who often avoids collaboration, seeks to help someone other than himself and Linguini is finally honest about his level of talent. Although these decisions result in the resignation of almost the entire kitchen staff, now that the duo is back together, we have hope that they will impress Ego.
Final push: Remy, his family, Colette, and Linguini work together to not only satisfy Ego, but also awaken his sense of joy and delight.
New Normalcy: Although Gusteau’s restaurant is shut down, Remy, Colette, Linguini, and (presumably) Ego start a new restaurant based on the friendship and coexistence between rats and people, Remy and Linguini.
Stuff I Noticed:
- Linguini and Remy are opposites of each other. Remy has all talent and no means/privilege, and Linguini has no talent but does have means/privilege.
- Remy’s and Linguini’s fates are linked – they both have a real need for each other if they want to accomplish the goals they separately set for themselves.
- Linguini remains a waiter at the end of the movie, rather than returning to his position as a chef.
- Symmetrical moments: the two chase/danger scenes (in the kitchen and Gusteau's will), Linguini and Remy team up & Linguini gives Remy the credit, Colette teaches Linguini & Colette confronts Linguini, introducing Linguini & Linguini owns Gusteau's, introducing Remy's family & reintroducing Remy's family.
- This movie has a lot of exposition to do – it’s a movie about fine cooking that takes place in a gourmet kitchen (two things the average audience member will not be especially familiar with). However, it does a good job of spreading this information out across the first half of the film and in ways that also tell us more about the film’s characters.
- This is a movie that celebrates art and artistry and the beauty of something well made.
- Colette, even though she is a supporting character, has a strong, understandable motivation that transforms her into more of a character and less of an obstacle to Remy’s and Linguini’s success.
- This is also one of a few Pixar movies that start with a “watching TV within the movie” sequence (Up, Incredibles)
- Remy’s mentor is an imaginary Chef Gusteau. As the ultimate self-taught artist, perhaps it’s fitting that his mentor figure is Remy himself, in the form of his celebrity idol. This can’t be good for Remy’s personal growth.
- Remy isn’t a deeply flawed character, his most apparent flaw is the fact that he’s a rat, something he cannot control. Yet he is subtly shown to be averse to collaboration with those he sees as inferior, often immediately dismissing the opinion of Colette and others. Since Remy is typically right, Remy never gets the chance to notice his own stubbornness.
- Rats take, humans create.
- I like this proverb - Not everyone can be a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.
-dh
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