MANILA, Philippines — We’ve admired Nora Ephron’s work for many years, ever since we first read her witty and sardonic essays as a youth. When she moved on to write film scripts and direct movies, we delighted in her cynical yet spirited view of life. That’s why, for months now, we’ve been looking forward to watching her latest film, “Julie & Julia,” with its added promise of culinary treats, as lightly and blithely dispersed by its resident chef, the iconic Julia Child.

In addition to the movie’s yummy story about a Julia Child fan (played by Amy Adams) who sorted out her life by cooking up a storm of Julia’s celebrated French recipes, Ephron’s film offered the even more wonderful prospect of seeing Julia vivified by another icon in her own right, Meryl Streep.

Mannerisms

Like Ephron, Streep doesn’t disappoint in her latest characterization for the big screen, which the production serves up with relish and pride, on a silver platter. Not only does Streep get Child’s voice and mannerisms down pat, but she also gains access to Julia’s heart of hearts.

That may sound like no big deal—isn’t that what actors are paid to do?—but, in Child’s case, it’s a tall order, because the celebrated chef has heretofore been known to the public mainly as a stereotype, not a person. To get to Child’s heart of hearts, Streep has had to cut through a lot of clichés, most of them of the spoofy sort, finally revealing the person within the chef.

And, what a fine, loving portrait of Child the actress has come up with, full of unexpected fire and vulnerability. Child’s pioneering cooking show on TV focused on her “funny” voice and boisterously bumptious ways, but Ephron’s film goes far beyond those facile digs.

Characterization

On the debit side, Julia’s fan, Julie, gets thoroughly upstaged by Child in the movie’s storytelling, despite Ephron’s best efforts to present her two protagonists as equals. Amy Adams is a good actress in her own right, but she simply can’t keep up with Streep’s prodigiously varied characterization, so she has to settle for the lesser role of fan and acolyte.

Other low points include the awkward way with which political, social and historical contexts are folded into the movie to add even more flavor and insights to the thematic mix, and supporting characters who aren’t developed well enough, because the film is so enamored with Julia’s persona and Streep’s performance.

But, let’s take the bad with the good and savor the more positive aspects of Ephron’s film—and there are many. Bon appétit!