Sunday Matinee – DoughDough – Sunday Matinee – Special Edition featuring guest chef Uncle Lou
Today’s Sunday Matinee, DOUGH. A drama-comedy based on an aging Jewish baker who sees his struggling business reach unexpected heights when he takes a chance on a young Muslim apprentice.
Hmm, a movie based on cannabis and cooking, instantly needed to get Dabbin Dad chef / contributor Uncle Lou over to prep some munchies. Lou, crafted a deliciously medicated chocolate-peanut butter fudge popcorn. Double D will have that recipe up soon.
Once the popcorn started to take effect (alongside a medicated tincture provided by Tha Red Baron) the play button was hit.
The opening of DOUGH, introduces us to baker Nat, played by Jonathan Pryce; walking us through the baker’s morning ritual, beginning at 4 in the morning. Nat’s kosher London bakery is struggling and facing a takeover from a cutthroat developer Cottons. In conjunction we meet Nat’s soon to be apprentice, Ayyash played by Jerome Holder who is a Muslim immigrant from Africa. Ayyash, becomes Nat’s apprentice after the former leaves for the competition.
Ayyash, sells weed to supplement the family income and help his mother. When he accidentally drops some marijuana into the challah dough and bakes it anyway, customers begin to pile into Nat’s bakery. It is a bit odd that no one questions the effects; but we will let that slide. This is a common joke in films usually seen with someone unaware eating pot brownies resulting in hilarious, zany antics.
All the actors do a fine job, notably Jonathan Pryce but the standout for me was Pauline Collins who plays Joanna Silverman and delivers some of the films most memorable lines. The “bad guy” of DOUGH evil developer Sam Cotton played by Philip Davis is laughingly terrible reaching 80’s b-movie territory. Unsure if this was intentional on Davis’ part but the director should have reeled him in a bit.
One major complaint, the filmmakers should have taken an approach like the film CHEF did with food / food trucks, when it came to showing the way edible medicated products are made. While I understand it’s not intended to be a focus, anyone who cooks with cannabis is sure to be disappointed at how sloppy this part is handled.
DOUGH is a bit predictable, hitting all the typical tropes but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying it for what it is. A heartwarming, funny story about looking past the surface and that you never know who you can learn from.
Dough Official Trailer:
