The Menu Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

4. The Strong Ensemble Cast

The film's cast is low-key stacked, and per its bevy of well-drawn characters ensures this is one of the most purely entertaining ensembles of the entire year.

Beyond Taylor-Joy and Fiennes in the lead roles, Nicholas Hoult is an absolute riot as Margot's unbearably up-his-own-ass food-lover partner Tyler. It's a performance that verges on caricature yet never quite goes over the top, ensuring Tyler remains a recognisably grandiose douchebag throughout.

Elsewhere Hong Chau is very good as Julian's second-in-command Elsa, bringing a cool severity to the fore throughout most of her screen time albeit with occasional spicings of unexpected humour.

Janet McTeer is meanwhile perfectly cast as a snooty food critic dining at the restaurant, as is John Leguizamo as a washed-up movie star desperately clinging to the fading embers of his career (though Leguizamo's own is thankfully doing just fine).

All in all this unconventional collection of esteemed performers helps keep The Menu consistently entertaining even when it begins flirting with more familiar ideas.