Hunger (2023) Review: A traumatic kitchen drama that delves into the subject of class disparities

Hunger (2023) Movie Review: How do you define success? Is it merely the feeling of being respected by others? Is it the fame and recognition you get for your work? Or is it about fulfilling the ambition you once had? It can be one or many. For the protagonist of the Netflix movie – ‘Hunger,’ it was the aspect of putting her potential to the best use and fulfilling her ambition.

Aoy (played by Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) had big dreams when she got out of grad school. She desired to use her culinary skills and her knowledge to practice. Instead, she got stuck in a family-owned stir-fried noodle business in Bangkok. She started running its daily operations and became a part of its monotonous routine. It did not require her to use her imagination or much of her skills. That troubled her despite knowing that her friends have it worse for being exploited by their employers.

One day, a man notices Aoy’s skills and invites her to join their team – ‘Hunger.’ She gets a chance to be a part of this fine-dining operation where she fights many battles – be it with her own ego or with the infamous Chef Paul, who leads their team.

Chef Paul (played by Nopachai Chaiyanam) prides himself on the special experience he provides for his wealthy customers. He loathes the generic ways of cooking and exhausts Aoy to seek perfection. He criticizes the stench of her clothes and her lack of inventiveness to the point she starts feeling ashamed of having them. Over the period, she gets detached from her roots to immerse herself in a world of pretensions and feigned adoration. All of it so that she can gain respect for her expertise.

To reach that space, Aoy goes through an arduous process of reinventing herself. Chef Paul reminds her of her mediocrity every time she wants to take the next step. ‘To gain respect, you need to be worthy of it,’ Paul’s actions scream that message. So, Aoy works tirelessly to hone her skills, hoping it will create a path in itself.

Aoy’s experiences along the way keep reminding her of the harsh reality. Whether it is her or her co-workers, they are bound to be confined by their current roles. They will die being who they are in their team, while Chef Paul keeps getting all the respect.

Through many such instances, Kongdej Jaturanrasamee’s script reinforces its cynical outlook toward stringent class disparities. The writing continuously examines this aspect and how it correlates with the culinary world. It explores these hierarchies in various ways

There is an evident air of pretension related to fine dining, where hunger is not much for the food itself but how it is presented. While the affluents are hungry for such experiences, a majority yearn only to fill their stomachs. The script makes a clear case of how the food you eat determines your social status.

Choosing your food based on a refined palate is a luxury not everyone can afford. As Aoy’s brother says, they only need food that fills their bellies. So, Aoy straddles two worlds – one where she has to fight for her image and the other where she has to fight the daily battle of mediocrity. She becomes a beacon for us to understand the film’s detour through the prejudiced world of culinary art. She plays an underdog, which makes her easy to resonate with.

Yet, Hunger does not limit itself to become about her winning moment solely. Through Aoy, it introspects the nature of success in itself and about the continuing hunger in life beyond. It does not contemplate the emptiness thereafter as Pete Doctor’s Soul does. However, it talks about the murky waters one needs to deal with to sustain one’s success.

Sitisiri Mongkolsiri’s direction expertly crafts its boiler room scenes with brimming tension. Besides that, it handles the subject of ‘worth’ akin to Mark Mylod’s The Menu. Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying’s performance finds the tiniest details in her anxieties, distress, and realizations and presents a rich subtext by herself.

Nevertheless, the film gets bogged down by relying on sentimentality than deeper insights about its core. Besides, its existing analysis isn’t groundbreaking in itself. As a result, Hunger becomes a taut thriller but not a memorable drama about the ‘Eat the Rich’ theme.

Read More: Hunger (2023) Netflix Movie: Ending, Explained & Themes Analysed

Hunger (2023) Movie Links – IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes
Hunger (2023) Movie Cast – Nopachai Chaiyanam, Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, Gunn Svasti Na Ayudhya

Where to watch Hunger