This Austin Film Festival entry addresses the struggles that often go into the creative process of all art but focuses on that challenge through the art of dessert making. Written and directed by Nicholas Livanos, All The Wrong Ingredients shows this system’s darker side in very imaginative and creative ways. The result is a very amusing, entertaining film that deals with the emotional baggage and troubles that artists usually face in delivering work that will advance their careers.
Joshua Trevilcock stars as Ben Fitzgerald, an aspiring baker and chef who enters an intense cooking competition in which the entrants must deliver the most exceptional desserts to advance to a more rewarding career. As Ben proceeds with the contest, the stress of the event, mixed with the pressures of his personal life, manifests a conniving and opportunistic side of his personality which appears as an imaginary counterpart throughout the competition. Ben faces multiple tests in his contest and personal life, which manifests in other characters as he struggles to balance everything.
As someone who often juggles a regular job, reviewing movies, and the responsibilities of real life, I ultimately identified with the protagonist of this film. Filmmaker Nicholas Livanos does a great job of capturing these problems in some often hilarious and brilliant ways. Though the movie has predictable moments, Livanos still surprised me with some wildly entertaining moments.
The film has a tremendous cast and gives audiences an exciting and amusing experience worth much discussion and praise.