Jiro Dreams of Sushi

It's been about a month since the gf and I watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Since then, it has debuted in other cities in the U.S., and comments online have pretty much been positive and admiring of the film. Fans have been calling it food porn and lauding the dedicated life of an 85-year-old who combines talent, creativity, and good old-fashioned hard work to take his tiny sushi restaurant near a Tokyo subway station to the pinnacles of fine sushi dining in particular and of fine cuisine in general. The restaurant has earned 3 Michelin stars--not a meager feat in today's competitive and picky world of foodies and celebrity chefs.

The film is simple--just a documentary about a man, his two sons, his apprentices, his restaurant, and his craft. But like fine sushi, the film's simplicity is in fact a characteristic of its quality. There are no special sauces, so to speak. Just a clear window and an honest glimpse into someone's life, his profession, and his dedication to it. The shots are clean and bare in the Japanese sense. The classical music is the perfect accompaniment to the art on screen. It's beautiful, amusing and enjoyable to watch from start to finish with funny moments that reveal a lightheartedness in Jiro that refreshingly compliments a disciplined and stern lifestyle.

The film clearly resonates among foodies of all kinds, especially sushi lovers. Artistic types are also drawn to the art in the film making, as well as the art on screen not to mention the art of the main character's life that is definitely worthy of being admired and examined. However, what takes this film to the masses and garner their respect is its message. The one Jiro, himself, explicitly says straight at the camera in the beginning and is conveyed in every part of the film through interviews and in the way he lives his life.

His message to love what you do and to work hard to perfect it is what tugs at everyone. It's what we all understand whether we respect and seek this kind of life or not. We all get it, whether or not we agree with the method perhaps because we know that beauty and excellence are often the result of such pursuits. Because beauty and excellence are universally admirable traits, we understand what the hype is all about. A simple message, yet also a complex one. Like sushi.