re: The Menu has been added to HBO.

One other thing I thought of today that I didn't really like was the forced scene of him being inappropriate with the female staffer. Not only was the punishment basically a mcguffin for the rest of the movie, it was just out of place given that this was a satire. If this was a movie centered more around reality that would fit 1000%, but since this is satire about people who ruin art (and all the sacrifice that goes into it), it was just out of place for his sins and punishment within the theme of the movie. A much better point of emphasis for this would have been the reliance on the dish he used since he "made it" (and this could have led to more focus on the critic's role in the satire, for double impact).

Focusing on his failure as a creative fits within the theme of the movie. Being a perv does not.

Theoretically, this makes me think that they could have done more of a mirror with each table. The "failure as a creative" would fit perfectly with the JL character, for example. A mirror with the critic could have been something he said along the way while that hurt another chef. You could do a double version of this with the old/rich couple and Hoult's character, b/c they're polar opposites (the rich people who do this as a perfunctory "rich person" exercise and the normie foodie wannabe who would never get a real reservation).

I think taking out the finance bros and their boss would have helped. They were just kind of inflammatory for the sake of being inflammatory. It's not that they took away from the finished product, but removing them would give more time to get a little more in depth with the others who present a much better picture of the conflict. Like the old rich couple says everything that's wrong with the restaurant that the finance bros do. You don't need to say it twice.

I wanted it to be more than it was.

Wife and I watched it last night, was a big meh…there was something disconnected about it, but not in an intriguing/curious way.

Watched it last night. Loved it. Leaves Netflix at midnight, I believe, so try to watch it tonight if you have time and are interested.