Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)

A documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.

Director:

David Gelb

Stars:

Jiro Ono, Yoshikazu Ono, Masuhiro Yamamoto

2 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jiro Ono	...	Himself
Yoshikazu Ono	...	Himself
Masuhiro Yamamoto	...	Himself
Daisuke Nakazama	...	Himself
Hachiro Mizutani	...	Himself
Harutaki Takahashi	...	Himself
Hiroki Fujita	...	Himself
Tsunenori Ida	...	Himself
Toichiro Iida	...	Himself
Akihiro Oyama	...	Himself
Shizuo Oyama	...	Himself
Hiroshi Okuda	...	Himself
Yukio Watanabe	...	Himself
Kazunori Kumakawa	...	Himself
Kazuo Fukaya	...	Himself

Storyline

In the basement of a Tokyo office building, 85 year old sushi master Jiro Ono works tirelessly in his world renowned restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro. As his son Yoshikazu faces the pressures of stepping into his father's shoes and taking over the legendary restaurant, Jiro relentlessly pursues his lifelong quest to create the perfect piece of sushi.

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Plot Keywords:

sushi | master | tuna | fish market | sushi bar | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

15 March 2012 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Jiro e l'arte del sushi

Filming Locations:

Sukibayashi Jiro - Tsukamoto Sogyo Building Basement 1st Floor, 4-2-15, Ginza, Chuo, Tokyo, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$42,035, 11 March 2012, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,550,508, 19 August 2012

Company Credits

Production Co:

Preferred Content, Sundial Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the staff lunch scene, an apprentice demonstrates the correct technique for dipping sushi in shoyu (soy sauce). It must be turned upside-down so the shoyu touches only the fish. In high-end sushi restaurants such as Jiro's, the itamae (sushi chef) applies a seasoning to the fish with a brush so the customer doesn't need to use shoyu.

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Quotes

Yoshikazu Ono: Always look ahead and above yourself. Always try to improve on yourself. Always strive to elevate your craft. That's what he taught me.

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Crazy Credits

In the Special Thanks section, "The Tsukiji Fish Market" is listed twice.

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Connections

Referenced in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy Pulls Off a Heist! (2017)

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Soundtracks

Off To Market
Composed and Produced by Rye Randa and Jeff Foxworth aka The Ontic

User Reviews

a very simple film about a very simple man

There are no spoilers in this review simply because there is nothing in "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" to spoil. There is no plot as such. It is strictly a portrait of Jiro Ono, the world's greatest sushi-maker. He has no hobbies or interests other than sushi. The only major change in his life in the last 40 years is that he quit smoking. He groomed both his now middle-aged sons (somewhat against their will) to be sushi chefs.

The point of the film seems to be two-fold. The main purpose seems to be to assure Jiro's legions of fans that his elder son Yoshikazu will follow his father's recipes exactingly and will make no changes to the restaurant once Jiro dies. And the secondary purpose is to show the importance of sustainable fishing.

If you're looking for a narrative plot-driven film, you'll be disappointed. But if you are a foodie who likes seeing behind the scenes at a fine restaurant, this is the movie for you. Be warned though: You have to see this in a theater near a sushi restaurant or you'll be disappointed in whatever meal you eat following the film.