"Power," according to the English philosopher Bertrand Russell, "is sweet, it is a drug, the desire for which increases with the habit." This richly developed and impressively acted French psychological thriller is co-written and directed by Bernard Rapp, based on a novel by Philippe Balland. It explores the unusual relationship between a power-hungry middle-aged businessman and a young man whose yearning for the pleasures of wealth makes him an ideal target.

Nicolas Rivière (Jean-Pierre Lorit) is a charming waiter at a prestigious restaurant in Paris. When Frédéric Delamont (Bernard Giraudeau), a successful business executive, asks him to identify all the ingredients in a plate of hors d'oeuvres by taste, he is astonished at the accuracy of his response. Before Nicolas knows what is happening, he's offered a high-salaried job as Delamont's personal food taster. He needs such an aide because he has severe allergies to certain foods.

While Nicolas savors the perks of his good fortune, including fancy clothes, a chauffeur, and dining out in first-class restaurants, his working-class girlfriend, Béatrice (Florence Thomassin), who runs a newsstand, laments the influence Delamont has over him. She's not far off the mark given the fact that he is on call 24 hours a day. Delamont wants to take control over Nicolas's life and lets him know that he expects the two of them to eventually become "one."

A Matter of Taste examines the shadow side of a healthy sense of self-esteem — where some individuals try to control others and a few are willing to be devoured by them. In this sobering drama, both men are eventually undone by the corruption and compulsions of power.

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