Film Review: Delightful Doc ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’ Pleases Crowds, Entices Taste Buds

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CHICAGO – According to Jiro Ono, the intriguing titular subject of David Gelb’s documentary, sushi is a dish that must be savored. However, it should be eaten the instant that it’s served for maximum satisfaction. Fat will not be tolerated on the fish since lean meat carries the essence of flavor, and it is within the simplicity of each morsel that a true depth of flavor can be achieved.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

The makers behind “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” appear to have followed that same philosophy while tackling this material. Instead of utilizing the structure of a densely detailed documentary, the film centers its focus on the events presently occurring within Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat restaurant at a Tokyo subway station where Ono and his team of dedicated assistants craft one miraculous offering after another. Gelb wants to somehow capture the olfactory sensations emanating from Jiro’s kitchen, and he comes as close as any filmmaker ever could.

Read Matt Fagerholm’s full review of “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” in our reviews section.

Rarely has a foodie documentary produced the sort of swooning sighs I heard at a packed preview screening of “Jiro” in Chicago. The greatest highlight of the picture is a prolonged sequence where audiences are invited to follow the progression of a complete three-course meal served by Ono. Gelb’s cinematography offers an extreme close-up of each freshly prepared sushi as it settles on the plate, while electrifying the senses like a flavorful firework. There are hypnotic instances of slow-motion used to emphasize the care with which Jiro carefully forms and prepares each sushi. These lingering shots are practically fetishistic, yet they accurately portray the amount of time that’s set aside to elevate the food to Jiro’s exceptional standards of quality. One task required of a young apprentice is to massage an octopus for 45 to 50 minutes in order to give it the soft texture necessary for digestion. Another longtime assistant recalls that he had to wait ten years before he would be allowed to make egg sushi. His first 200 attempts were deemed failures by Jiro, but there finally came a day when one of his creations proved to satisfy, prompting the humbled man to burst into tears. Though Jiro is portrayed as a kindly wise sage, it’s clear that his stern demeanor would prove uncomfortable for everyone in his venue—including his customers (which results in a priceless cutaway gag). One of Jiro’s most vocal supporters, food critic Yamamoto, notes that for truly great chefs, impatience is a virtue.

Continue reading for Matt Fagerholm’s full “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” review.

Jiro Ono is featured in David Gelb’s Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
Photo credit: Magnolia Pictures