Simply Irresistible

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Simply Irresistible ★ 1999 (PG-13)

Romantic comedy in which failing restaurant owner/chef Amanda Shelton (Gellar) falls for exec Tom Barlett (Flanery). Thanks to the intervention of fairy-godfather O'Reilly (Durang) Amanda suddenly possesses a unique culinary ability—every emotion she's feeling goes into her food and winds up affecting her customers. Tries too hard (this kind of whimsical comedy should be lighter than a souffle) and the leads, appealing as they may be, don't generate any heat when together. The film also sounds like an Americanized version of “Like Water for Chocolate,” even if no one's admitting to the notion. 95m/C VHS, DVD . Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sean Patrick Flanery, Patricia Clarkson, Dylan Baker, Christopher Durang, Larry (Lawrence) Gilliard Jr., Betty Buckley; D: Mark Tarlov; W: Judith Roberts; C: Robert M. Stevens; M: Gil Goldstein.