Directed by: David Gelb.
Jiro Ono had to leave home at the age
of 7 to fend for himself. He never really saw his
parents again after this point in his life, but eventually he does find his
calling – sushi. He apprenticed for years, before finally becoming a master in
his own right. Now, at the age of 85, he is widely regarded as the greatest sushi
chef in Japan – which, of course, means he is the greatest sushi chef in the
world. He has an almost unthinkably small restaurant – just 10 chairs lined up
at the bar. The starting price for a meal at his restaurant is 30,000 yen
(roughly $300), and you are in and out in about 20 minutes. Jiro serves nothing
but sushi – you get 15 to 20 pieces in one sitting. His methods are well known
and simple – it`s just that no one quite does it like Jiro does. And he has no
plans to stop, unless he is physically unable to do so. He hates vacation and
holidays.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi has become
an art house hit, and it`s easy to see why. Jiro is a funny, charming, happy
man and the documentary is easy going, light entertainment that makes even
someone like me, who likes sushi but doesn’t love it, want to go out and get
some. The sushi we see during the course looks delicious, and will certainly
make you hungry. In some ways, the movie reminded me of last year`s audience
charmer Bill Cunningham New York. Both films are about men obsessed with their
jobs, but seem truly happy doing what they love. And good for them.
But Jiro Dreams of Sushi
has a sad undercurrent to it, that Bill Cunningham New York did not have, and
that`s because unlike Cunningham, Jiro has a family. We never meet Jiro`s wife
during the course of the movie, but it`s never clear why. Is it because she
didn’t want to be interviewed, or more likely, that she has so little to do
with his life that she would not be relevant to the movie. We do meet his two
sons however – sons that Jiro proudly brags that he convinced not to go to
college and instead to follow him into the family business. The younger one
left his father`s employ to start his own restaurant, and says that many of his
customers tell him they come to his restaurant because he serves the same sushi
as Jiro, but in a more relaxed atmosphere. When the older brother, who still
works for his father, is asked if he was jealous that his younger brother
opened his own restaurant, he replies simply “In Japan, it is expected that the
oldest son take over his father`s position”. Oddly, it seems like the older son
may have even surpassed Jiro in terms of his skills – when the Michelin judges,
who ultimately awarded Jiro their highest grade of three stars, it was the
older son, and not Jiro, was the one who served them. And yet, it is Jiro who
gets the praise and the rave reviews. It isn’t really Jiro`s fault – he praises
his sons, and all the apprentices he employs.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is an
interesting and fun documentary. If you ever want to know how to make sushi –
and follow the process from the fish market to the table, than this movie will
take you through that process in the company of a master. Jiro is happy – and
well he should be, as he has made a success of himself, and refuses to
compromise his own exacting standards. Yet there is also something sad about
this story – and that sticks with me even more than all that delicious looking
sushi.
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