Buy Toast on DVD

Toast

Image / Year: 2010

DVD

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$24.99 (10% off)
List Price: $27.99

When new special editions or price reductions are announced.

Synopsis

Cute, lanky gay teen Nigel Slater (Freddie Highmore) loves his mother though she is a hopeless cook, only able to make good toast. When she passes away, Nigel is left with his father and their new house cleaner Mrs. Potter (Helena Bonham Carter). Quickly Mrs. Potter becomes Mrs. Slater, his new stepmother who also happens to be a superb cook. This only makes for rivalry as Nigel, the only boy in his cookery class at school, competes with her to find the way to his father's heart. A weekend job in a pub kitchen introduces Nigel to an older boy, who gives him the confidence and inspiration to leave home and head for the hotel kitchens of London.

3 Reasons To buy this film

Toast is based on the life of openly gay food writer, journalist and broadcaster Nigel Slater.
Though the marketing for this movie tries to hide the fact that Freddie Highmore's young character is gay, it factors heavily into the story (without being the WHOLE story).
There is a scene, early in the film, that establishes nine-year-old Nigel's sexual curiosity as he watches hunky gardner Matthew McNulty undress.

Review

An adaptation of Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger, the memoir from openly gay English food writer and journalist Nigel Slater, Toast follows a young gay boy who is destined for a life in the culinary world.

Toast begins by introducing us to a 9-year-old Nigel. His mother is not a very good cook – the only thing she can make with accuracy and precision is toast (hence the film’s title). Despite his mum’s lack of culinary ability, she and Nigel have fun trying to bake cakes and cook spaghetti bolognaise. The results may not be perfect, but the time they spend together is priceless.

Even at the age of 9, Nigel seems to have a good sense of his interests. In addition to his longing for exceptional food, Nigel has developed a crush Josh - his family’s charming, James Dean-ish gardener (played by the delicious Matthew McNulty of Little Ashes). There are a few great scenes early in the film where Nigel and Josh bond. Unfortunately, their time together is cut short when Nigel’s grumpy father begins to suspect that Josh may have a negative influence on his son (namely: he might be making him gay!).

Things get even worse for poor Nigel when his mother’s health begins to decline. Soon, his beloved mother dies. To make matters worse, his father starts taking an interest in Mrs. Potter (Helena Bonham Carter) – their somewhat conniving housekeeper with a knack for the culinary arts. Nigel comforts himself by learning how to cook. He soon becomes the only boy at school to take home economics as opposed to woodshop. Presenting a good meal seems to be the quickest way into his father’s good graces and Nigel wants his affection more than anything. But Mrs. Potter still presents a problem, however, as the two of them start competing – trying to out-cook one another to earn the family patriarch’s love.

With brilliant performances from an impressive British cast and a pitch-perfect early-1960s setting, this touching, well-crafted coming of age tale will prove a heartwarming cinematic confection for both gay men and foodies (and, of course, gay foodies!).

-- Robert O'Neill

Product Format Information

DVD : $24.99

Availability: ON ORDER
Ships when stock arrives
Close Caption: Yes
Region Code: 1
UPC: 014381759822
Catalog #: DV3315972

Studio : Image

Languages: English (Primary)
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen

Keywords

Adolescence, Biographical/Autobiographical, Coming of Age, Coming Out, Family Life, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Gay Male, Gay/Lesbian, GLBT Creator / Performer / Writer, Homosexuality, International, Literary Adaptation, Mother-Son Relationship, Schoolboy

Genres

Drama, International

Customer Reviews

Cooking with Love

Amos Lassen wrote on 11/09/2011:

We meet Nigel Slater when he is nine years old in 1967. His mother is a bad cook and it seems that the best thing she can fix is toast. She dies of asthma and Nigel is left with his father who is distant. Before long, Mrs. Potter is hired as their cleaner and Nigel thinks that she is out to catch his father. Meanwhile, at school, Nigel is the only boy in the cookery class but when his dad marries Potter, Nigel is off to the country and he tries to find a way to reach his father. He takes a job at a kitchen where he meets an older boy who is gay like Nigel and who instills in Nigel the confidence he needs so that he can leave home after his father died. Nigel moved to London and into the fine hotel kitchens.

This sentimental film is about Nigel as he comes to terms with who he is and the film is based upon Nigel Slater’s autobiography, “Toast: The Story of a Boy’s Hunger’ which is a memoir of his early years. It is a look at a life that is strictly English and this may perhaps make it difficult for people in other countries to follow the story. Nigel had feelings for the family gardener, Josh, who was sent away when it was discovered that Nigel would watch him when he was naked and changing clothes. Nigel and Potter did not get along but she is a good cook. At this point the actor playing Nigel changes and Freddy Highmore plays the more mature Nigel. He began watching Potter cook and memorized details so he could use the recipes. He goes on to become an acclaimed cook. This is an interesting coming-of-age story that uses cooking as something new in the coming-out process. I enjoyed the film even though it is far from perfect. It is interesting to watch Nigel mature and come into his own in a way unlike other coming-of-age films.