Watch What's Cooking?

What's Cooking? is a heartwarming comedy-drama film directed by Gurinder Chadha that follows four ethnically diverse families living in Los Angeles as they prepare for their Thanksgiving dinner. The movie highlights the different cultures and traditions they each have, showcasing the power of food in bringing people together. The four families consist of an African-American couple, Audrey (Alfre Woodard) and Ronald Williams (Dennis Haysbert), who are struggling to connect with their teenage son; a Jewish couple, Rachel (Kyra Sedgwick) and Herb (Maury Sterling), who are dealing with their marital issues and their daughter's rebelliousness; a Mexican-American family, the Avilas, who are coming to terms with their daughter's sexuality; and a Vietnamese-American family, the Nguyens, who are dealing with their elderly father's declining health.

The movie opens with the preparation of a Thanksgiving dinner by all four families. We see how different their cooking styles are and the unique dishes they prepare. The movie then goes on to follow each family's individual story and how they navigate their personal issues and cultural differences while preparing for this important holiday.

The Williams family is faced with the challenge of having their son bring his new girlfriend home, who is white. They are worried about how their neighbors and friends will perceive them and their son's choice of partner. As they prepare their traditional southern-style Thanksgiving dinner, they learn to accept their son's choices and celebrate their diversity instead of fearing judgment.

The Jewish couple, Rachel and Herb, is struggling with their rocky marriage, and Herb is worried that Rachel is having an affair with her ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, their daughter is going through her rebellious phase and causes chaos in the house. As they prepare a kosher Thanksgiving meal, the couple learns to communicate better and work on their issues, finding common ground and love again.

The Avilas, a Mexican-American family, is coming to terms with their daughter's sexuality as she introduces them to her girlfriend, a white girl. The family members have trouble accepting her sexuality, but they come together during the Thanksgiving feast, showing their love for her and each other through home-cooked traditional Mexican dishes.

The Nguyens, a Vietnamese-American family, is dealing with their elderly father's declining health and memory loss. They prepare a traditional Vietnamese meal and take care of him as they come to terms with his aging and eventual passing.

As the movie progresses, we see the families' stories converge as they meet each other at a specific location for their Thanksgiving dinner. Despite their cultural differences and the problems they each faced, they join together to celebrate their unique backgrounds and the tradition of family and togetherness during the holidays.

What's Cooking? is a heartwarming and uplifting movie that showcases the power of food to unite people from different backgrounds and cultures. It highlights the importance of family and celebrating diversity, showing how love and understanding can overcome even the deepest prejudices and problems. With an incredible cast, great music, and an engaging storyline, What's Cooking? is a must-watch for anyone looking for a feel-good movie that celebrates the power of love, family, and food.

What's Cooking? is a 2000 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 57.