What's Cooking?

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What's Cooking?

PG-13,

2000,

1h 49m,

Drama

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Watchlist

52%

66 Reviews

Tomatometer

65%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

66 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

You are invited to a tasty Thanksgiving dinner that will all at once transport you to four different worlds and take you home again. On the menu this November are turkey, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie -- but also tamales, spring rolls, kugel, mac & cheese, love, betrayal, sibling rivalry, prejudice, politics, uninvited guests, unexpected accidents, outrageous conversations -- and all the other succulent and spicy surprises that arise when modern families come together for an annual meal.

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Critics Consensus

What's Cooking? is well-acted, but the scenes sometimes sink into melodrama as characters scream at each other, and the movie as a whole is too lightweight and forgettable.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 29, 2010

3/5

A bit melodramatic at times, but still charming.

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Emanuel Levy

Variety

Dec 20, 2006

B-

This valentine to the cultural diversity that defines L.A. is a second-tier Altman (or even Paul Thomas Anderson)a broad, accessible comedy that contrasts four large and dynamic families residing on the same street: Latino, black, Jewish, and Asian.

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Jane Crowther

BBC.com

Aug 20, 2001

4/5

A combination of fresh ingredients mixed together with skill to create a well-balanced harmony of diverse flavours. Delicious.

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Apr 23, 2025

3/4

What's Cooking? (2000) is so nicely balanced and fine-tuned by director Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) that it turns into an honest holiday film, filled with plenty of delicious-looking shots of Thanksgiving dishes being prepared and served.

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Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

Aug 7, 2008

4/5

Film Threat

Dec 6, 2005

2/5

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Harry P

Nov 19, 2018

Whatï¿ 1/2(TM)s Cooking?: Pros: - Good Production Design - Fine Cinematography - Decent Editing Cons: - Mediocre Acting - Weak Script - Has no form of plot - Bad Humor (whenever it was around) - Characters that range from bland to annoying - Features too many scenes that are too melodramatic to be taken seriously - Awful Pacing

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Leia S

Mar 6, 2018

Between a 5/10 and 6/10, Trades in sitcom stereotypes and crosscuts predictably from family to family as if under the misapprehension that equal time is a dramatic principle.

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Nov 20, 2017

Funny and interesting.

Hagrid L

Jan 14, 2017

Fairly entertaining, and underrated. It has a certain charm to it, decent social commentary, and the way it executes a variety of struggles varying from each family depending on their ethnic and socioeconomic factors is pretty realistic and well done. The performances are solid, and it's paced well too. Sometimes it's a bit melodramatic, soap opera-esque and ultimately it's nothing blow away or entirely memorable, but What's Cooking? Is warm and seasoned enough to be enjoyed adequately.

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Synopsis

You are invited to a tasty Thanksgiving dinner that will all at once transport you to four different worlds and take you home again. On the menu this November are turkey, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie -- but also tamales, spring rolls, kugel, mac & cheese, love, betrayal, sibling rivalry, prejudice, politics, uninvited guests, unexpected accidents, outrageous conversations -- and all the other succulent and spicy surprises that arise when modern families come together for an annual meal.

Director: Gurinder Chadha
Producer: Jeffrey Taylor
Screenwriter: Paul Mayeda Berges, Gurinder Chadha
Distributor: Lionsgate Films, Trimark Pictures
Production Co: Stagescreen Productions, Flashpoint, Because Entertainment, Hope and Gravy Inc.
Rating: PG-13 (Some Sexuality|Perilous Situation|Brief Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.0M
Runtime: 1h 49m

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