No Reservations (PG)Grade:B-

The way to any man's heart is through his stomach -- at least that's how the old saying goes. "No Reservations" takes that proverb seriously by combining romance with the art of cooking and pleasing movie-goers who enjoy sappy love stories. Luckily for those fans, this film will cause tears both of pain and happiness as only a good romance film can.\nKate (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is the best chef in Manhattan, and her kitchen is a straight business environment where mistakes are not tolerated and her orders are followed to a T. But when she is given charge of the life of her niece Zoe (Abigail Breslin), her organized life gets turned upside down. With the help of Nick (Aaron Eckhart), the quirky and fun-loving fill-in-chef, Kate learns about life, love and her own obsession with cooking.\n"No Reservations" could have been just another chick flick that went through the box office unnoticed by anyone but couples until it was released on video. However, the film will not suffer that fate, thanks mostly to a fantastic musical score. While the plot is predictable and the actors' performances ordinary, the use of music in the film at the right moments with just the right chords makes for a compelling movie.\nJones and Eckhart each do their job well enough, but it is clear that Breslin has a long career ahead of her. The child actress stole the show as far as the cast goes, as she did in "Little Miss Sunshine." Her performance alone takes a mediocre cast and puts it above the standard.\nWhile romance fans will be pleased, like most love stories "No Reservations" can be just as good from the couch as on the big screen. But if you're in the mood for love or need a good date movie, the film is a sure winner.