Une équipe de chefs

Hank Ogden (Mark L. Taylor) is a coach for a junior-high level community baseball team, the Groundhogs. Unfortunately, the team is much closer to the Bad News Bears than the New York Yankees. Hank's son Eddie (Taylor Ball) is one of the few quality players, and Hank thinks he has a shot of making it to the major leagues. Although Eddie likes baseball, he discovers that his true passion is for cooking. Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off is the comic tale of conflicting desires and expectations between Eddie and his friends, family and teammates over his aspirations.

Although some viewers may have difficulty looking past the exaggerated social beliefs and interactions fueling a prominent "moral of the story", this is a great, funny film that succeeds because of the style, subtlety and comic sense of director Paul Hoen, aided by excellent performances. I don't think I've ever seen food fights filmed this artfully before. Yes, food fights are clichéd, and much of the script, on its own, would be somewhat clichéd and banal, but Hoen and the cast manage to make the film feel fresh and original. I almost felt as though I had never seen a film centered around food before--your eyes are opened to the many metaphorical ways that such a commonplace thing is woven through our lives.

Of course, this film isn't just about food, though. Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off is intended to help shatter gender stereotypes--especially the way we try to graft them on to our children. The message is to follow your dreams, and be what you want to be, whether it's what others have planned for you, or expect of you, or not. At the same time, there's a message about supporting others in following their dreams. These are valuable messages for people of any age, not just kids, and the exaggerated and old-fashioned-seeming pigeonholing shown by the characters in the film are only cartoonish to emphasize the point.

This might all sound dreadfully serious and preachy, but the film doesn't tend to play that way. It plays as lighthearted, humorous and heartwarming. Just be careful that your kids don't have easy access to blenders and ovens after they watch the film, or you'll have some serious cleaning to do.

A 9 out of 10 from me.

I sat down the other night to watch this with my kids because they wanted to watch it. It's a pretty good movie with some young stars. The movie tells about Eddie who like most teens, grows up with some pretty close friends. He then finds out he has a gift. The gift of cooking! The movie portrays people that cook are either different or a girl. We all know that's not true! Eddie has a hard time trying to figure out this gift because he is stuck between baseball, which his dad forces him to play because he's the coach, and his "passion" for cooking! I liked seeing Bobby Flay in this movie. Can't think of anyone else that would be good for that part! I also like the other girl who is Eddie's "rival" in the kitchen.

A typical upbeat kids movie but with a notable different message. The REAL story is that our hero, 14 year old Eddie comes out. The jock goes through all of the angst, guilt, rejection and fear that any 14 year old boy would have upon realizing he was "different." However, Disney, in their infinite wisdom, super sanitizes the story so that Eddie comes out as a CHEF instead of GAY. I wont criticize it too much because even this would have been a big stretch for Hollywood five years ago. Cute and entertaining if you don't have much to do. CMC, Sherman Oaks, CA

I absolutly LOVED Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off!! My mom gets so annoyed because I've watched it every time it has been on lol. One because it's a really good movie and two because well of Eddie :-D ;-)! I just love him.. what can i say.. :-P -Katie

Very good movie. It is a good movie involving what many teenagers go through today: making the right decisions. It also shows how Eddie was afraid to tell his father the truth, for fear of being ridiculed. This movie hits home with what many teenagers go through today. I would recommend this movie.