8 replies to this topic

[Ericandblueboy]

Okay, I apologize for the tag's irreverence. Jiro left home around 7 or 9 to become a sushi apprentice. Over time, he became the master and Michelin had no choice but to give his restaurant 3 stars and declare his restaurant the best sushi restaurant, even though every time they ate at this restaurant, it was his oldest son who actually made the sushi. The movie shows that Jiro is very dedicated to his craft - doing the same thing over and over again and at the same time, looking for ways to improve. At one point though, his son expresses dismay over the disappearance of certain species and more or less blames us plebes who don't know shit about sushi yet demanding sushi at every turn. Why the fuck does Safeway sell sushi anyway? And who the fuck eats Safeway sushi? After watching this movie, I'm going to stop eating shitty sushi (it's okay to eat California rolls, since no fished died for that). Save your dough for Sushi Taro's sushi counter, Sushi-ko with Koji, or Kaz. According to the movie, Jiro's joint starts at 30,000 yen, or about $400 for 20 pieces of sushi. $20 a piece!

Oh, Jiro says it's the lean tuna (akami) that carries more flavor, if properly selected. He acknowledges that fatty tuna is now very popular but he implies fatty tuna is for chumps.

[Poivrot Farci]

shit..., fuck..., fuck..., shitty...

Get a California roll with soap in it and consider using a thesaurus.

Supermarkets (other than Safeway) sell sushi because there is an obviously profitable demand for it and it is a convenient alternative to dining out. Supermarkets also sell industrial bread which is not of the best quality but chumps buy it because there are very few other retail options for superior bread.

Safeway gets top ranking for supermarket sushi / Sushi 'chefs' sent by big franchises. (2004 article)

[Ericandblueboy]

Get a California roll with soap in it and consider using a thesaurus.

Supermarkets (other than Safeway) sell sushi because there is an obviously profitable demand for it and it is a convenient alternative to dining out. Supermarkets also sell industrial bread which is not of the best quality but chumps buy it because there are very few other retail options for superior bread.

Safeway gets top ranking for supermarket sushi / Sushi 'chefs' sent by big franchises. (2004 article)

They're rhetorical questions. It's also a rant. Not my most eloquent post but I think most people get the gist of the movie.

[Ilaine]

Japanese overfishing for sushi and sneering at who? I would like to see the movie but anticipate my irony meter might hit the red zone.

Anyway, where is it playing?

[Ericandblueboy]

Anyway, where is it playing?

Available through Netflix. Jiro's son wasn't sneering at us specifically. He was just ruing the popularity of inexpensive sushi and the decimation of fish stock.

[darkstar965]

Save your dough for Sushi Taro's sushi counter, Sushi-ko with Koji, or Kaz.

And Makoto

[Tweaked]

Saw this several months ago at E street...if you are into sushi porn, then you will like this movie. The close up shots of Jiro and his son's hands as they form pieces of sushi are fascinating.

[RWBooneJr.]

This is an extremely well written and filmed documentary that is more about a type of idealism and vanishing way of life than food. The point of the movie is that what many see here as "perfection" is, for a number of reasons, unsustainable. It ultimately challenges the very notion of perfection as an illusion.

The story is also really more about the eldest son than Jiro, and there is a stunning revelation about the son's true role in Jiro's business. The film maker wisely saves this information for the end of the movie. The first post apparently misses the significance of this and spoils a great moment. If you want to fully enjoy this excellent film, don't read this thread.

[lion]

I saw this at Silver Docs last year and talked with the director after the screening. He was pretty lucky to get access to Jiro which happened because his father was friends with the Japanese food critic, briefly interviewed in the documentary.

The film is beautifully shot compared to Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations segment on Jiro, still hearing Tony's commentary make it worth watching.