98% Jiro Dreams of Sushi

All Critics (64) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (63) | Rotten (1)

By the time this graceful film is over you understand why Japan has declared the bald, bespectacled Jiro a national treasure. Even if you've never tasted sushi, the man's singleness of purpose will inspire you.

Gelb apparently understood that his subject was itself so taking that he wouldn't need filmic embellishments to keep his viewers alert.

Obsessive, we were saying? Oh my, yes, and that's what makes the film so compelling.

The most interesting moments, however, belong not to the chef but to those who labor in his shadow.

As exhausting as Jiro may be, he's also inspiring.

Would you be willing to massage an octopus for 45 minutes, until its flesh possesses just the right amount of chewability? Jiro is.

delves deep into the qualities of dedication and perfectionism

The movie functions well as high-end food porn, but it's also an insightful character study of the single-minded Jiro.

It's an interesting exploration of a particular aspect of Japanese culture, which is fathers and sons working together. It's a very likeable film, and sometimes, that's enough. If you're a Japanophile or a sushi nut, you'll likely be in heaven.

Even after you've eaten your fill, Gelb's film is memorable not just as a foodie paradise, but as a lovely, insightful portrait of a man in a lifelong search for perfection.

Watching Jiro work with the decades of experience on his side is like watching a master painter adding strokes to a masterpiece.

I can imagine that if you are a sushi lover, then you'll be drooling over the delicious looking scenery, and it maybe even convince you to make a trip to Japan just to try some of the food.

The film similarly guides us smoothly from opening credits to closing without complaint or concern, and before you know it, you've dreamily submitted to 80 minutes of raw fish preparation.

If you ever wondered what is the Art of Sushi, David Gelb's intriguing portrait opens up a whole new world, in which we learn about simplicity, balance and what defines 'deliciousness'

The centerpiece is a gorgeously photographed sequence showing a dinner at Jiro's restaurant, a "concerto" of the many courses (all sushi, no appetizers) that will make any foodie's mouth water.

Thoughtful, gentle and wonderfully restrained, David Gelb's brief documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a portrait of an artist in full flower, a master who has achieved a species of perfection.

Since few (if any) of us will ever be able to actually taste sushi chef Jiro Ono's cuisine -- minimum cost per person to dine there is roughly $300 -- we'll have to console ourselves with the visual bliss of this entertaining documentary.

As artful as it is appetizing.

The parade of dishes is like one note after another in a symphony meant to be appreciated by all the senses.

Yes, it will make you hungry, but it also supplies an understanding of skill and care that's largely lost in today's mechanical world. It's a simple story, yet one with fascinating levels of behavior and expertise to examine.

As simple and elegant as Jiro's preparations, "Sushi" alternates between the master musing on his cooking philosophy (good food, he says, makes him feel "victorious") and footage of the three chefs at work in their minuscule kitchen.

You don't have to like sushi to appreciate a master

This documentary strikes a balance between storytelling and food porn that's hard to come by in foodie flicks. Like a proper sushi meal, "Jiro" left me feeling sated, not stuffed.

More Critic Reviews

jonestown john dillinger carlos zambrano clemson pellet gun clay aiken zambrano