Jen Dreams of Sushi, Too

    Tonight I'm going to see "JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI" at the Tivoli, the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. I haven't been there yet, but now that I'm familiar with it, I plan to go someday! 
　じろさんの鮨が食べたことがありたいんですが。。。 すごくおいしそうな鮨ですね。日本に行きたいです。そして、じろさんの鮨がとても美しいですから、私はびじゆつを作りたいです。とても面白くて、とてもすばらしい映画ですよ。
　The film used a term,「しょくにん」which means artisan or craftsman of the highest level, to describe Jiro. He was abandoned by his family at the age of 7 and began making sushi at age 10, working to survive. Through his work he found love, and for 75 years he has worked tirelessly to improve himself and his food. It is a real testament to the Japanese spirit and demand for excellence, but he was also a quiet man, humble despite his significant accomplishments. His おまかせ menu consists of the best and freshest fish his son can find every morning at  つきじ market, and costs $300 and up for 20 pieces.
   The film is a real work of art in itself, and the comparison of fine sushi served in meticulously planned courses to perfectly orchestrated music is a great one. Every single piece looked almost too good to be true, and I suddenly found my popcorn to be less than satisfying.

   Here's the synopsis from the official website: "JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious 3 star Michelin review, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimage, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro’s sushi bar.

For most of his life, Jiro has been mastering the art of making sushi, but even at his age he sees himself still striving for perfection, working from sunrise to well beyond sunset to taste every piece of fish; meticulously train his employees; and carefully mold and finesse the impeccable presentation of each sushi creation. At the heart of this story is Jiro’s relationship with his eldest son Yoshikazu, the worthy heir to Jiro’s legacy, who is unable to live up to his full potential in his father’s shadow.

The feature film debut of director David Gelb, JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is a thoughtful and elegant meditation on work, family, and the art of perfection, chronicling Jiro’s life as both an unparalleled success in the culinary world, and a loving yet complicated father."