Lawrence Dai Watched Julie & Julia Every Day for a Year and Lived to Tell the Tale!

By now, most of America has seen Julie & Julia, the Nora Ephron film about blogger-turned-memoirist Julie Powell and culinary legend Julia Child. Lawrence Dai, however, has seen Julie & Julia a staggering 365 times and blogged about it at The Lawrence/Julie & Julia Project. Yes, he watched the rom-com every single day for a whole year. “I just got back from a private viewing party with 100 people celebrating the most insignificant achievement,” he tells us after the final viewing. “As stupid as it is, I only half-regret it now, but if you ask me tomorrow, I’ll probably fully regret it.”

How did you feel having reached the end of your quest to watch Julie & Julia 365 times?

It was pretty repetitive to be honest. The first couple viewings were the hardest, and then I got into a groove and it became my daily routine. It’s going to be weird not doing it, but I’m looking forward to not having that burden in my life. But yeah, I’m in a weird place right now.

Would you try and watch it at the same time every day?

I’d try to do it early and get it over with. It had a poor effect on my social life. I’d be with my friends and say, ‘Sorry I gotta go watch Julie & Julia now,’ and I’d end up watching it around 10 o’clock. The sacrifices in the name of art.

What did you learn from the experience?

I’d like to say that the whole metaness of it, and what it taught about Internet fame. But at the end of day, I’m just a fool who saw the same movie over and over.

Do you know the movie by heart now?

When I watch it I mumble to myself sometimes. People think I’m crazy.

What’s your favorite scene from the movie?

By far, the lobster scene where [the Julie Powell character] freaks out. She can’t kill the lobster and it’s ridiculous and the pot explodes and her husband has to come in and save the day. It’s kind of sexist, actually, unlike the rest of the movie.

And a least favorite scene?

Yeah, after seeing it so many times I’d cut out all the Julie Powell parts. It’d just be called Julia. I’d do a spy action film with Meryl Streep since Julia Child was in the CIA.

Who do you identify with more with: Julie or Julia?

I want to say Julia but with the whole blogging thing … I always hated the Julie Powell character and how she’d refresh her comments and obsess over the blog and then once I started blogging, I’d do the same thing and then I transformed into Julie Powell. That’s the scariest part of the whole thing.

Did you learn any cooking tips from watching the movie?

No cooking tips. I tried a couple recipes from what I saw in the movie. But movies don’t teach you how to cook. It’s funny that everyone thinks I can cook.

Will you ever watch Julie & Julia again in your life?

Never. Never again.