Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
Sushi that still leaves you hungry.
Presentation:
A good documentary of the 85 year old sushi master Jiro Ono and his renowned legacy. The film is decently shot though nothing particularly impressive. It’s natural but still not as nostalgic or well produced as other documentaries. It’s a slow burn, but the meat of the documentary isn’t compelling enough to fill your full for this style of subtle softball interviewing avoiding the difficult offensive questions. The sushi looks okay, it’s really the painstaking process and prep that makes you want to try it. But it’s more out of curiosity rather than it looking delicious. I yawned a few times throughout this doc but still finished intently.
Conclusion:
The film attempts to make you adore the sushi master by depicting his immense dedication to the craft, but something always feels off. Japanese culture has always been overworked with most people already familiar with their relentless obsessive culture. Even so, there seems to be more behind the madness we don’t get to see, which feel like they are hidden. He seems to selfishly not want to give up his empire to the detriment of his sons, he also seems like not particularly a charming man evident by how he treats others and his childhood friend, and his participation in World War II is barely covered. I think it’s just an okay documentary as there are definitely more interesting stories you could even watch on YouTube. A focus on how the sausage is made rather than the experience of eating it. But then you realize it’s just preparing the finest ingredients, which is admirable but not particularly compelling. You’ll probably walk away hungry from this one and not in a good way.
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