Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Some movies conduct business on more than one level. For example, "Groundhog Day" is seen by most as a cute 7-star comedy as indicated by the majority of comments I ever hear about it. But there is also a minority, myself included, who see it more as a film about philosophy that explores interesting "what if" questions, like what if you had forever to turn yourself into anything you could possibly imagine? I don't know which was the filmmaker's intent, but that is what I have taken away from the first time I saw it, and what has been reinforced over the dozens of times I have watched it since. In the same light, there are many who will see "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" and conclude it is another long-hair art-house documentary about sushi. Again, there is a minority that instead will believe what they have seen is a privileged glimpse into an exceedingly rare level of excellence... and passionate unwavering dedication... and scholarship... and the extraordinary work that can be accomplished by relentless consideration of what you do and how you do it. Like Groundhog Day, I see JDOS as being much more about philosophy than being about just what the camera happens to be pointed at while the ideas are being explored, and that it succeeds so perfectly on this higher level, that I must conclude that the latter was the filmmaker's intent from the start.Jiro is an 85 year old man who has been a sushi chef since he was a young apprentice. He operates a very small but world-renown sushi restaurant in the Ginza section of Tokyo. The film attempts, successfully I think, to give you an idea of how Jiro's craft evolved to where it is today... not so much by showing you a digest of his accumulated methods that comprise what might be called his mastery, but by exploring how he thinks about it and how that differs from the way the rest of would. The films reveals a singular, all-encompassing dedication to the perfection of his craft that is simply awe-inspiring and will quickly cause any Jesuit to feel like a slacker. It reveals a practitioner who has personally transcended the superlatives, acknowledgements and awards though he has been declared a Living Treasure of Japan and holds a highest possible Michelin rating of three stars, among many other honors. It reveals a man that continues to work to understand and achieve perfection with every tiny act. JDOS is about the pursuit of excellence... not about how to make sushi.The nature of excellence, as well as the tools to understand, recognize, and cultivate it have been increasingly at the core of my own philosophical interests over the last decade or so. For example, seeing the commonalities in how a Julliard musical prodigy and a world-class police motorcycle rider.. or the world's greatest sushi chef.. think about and pursue advancing their respective crafts is fascinating on its own, but also I think, instructive in improving at my own pursuits. Anders Ericson's work on giftedness and expert performance, echoed into the mainstream in Malcolm Gladwell's "10,0000-hour rule" for world-class expertise in "Outliers", is a connection I think some will make to JDOS. The research indicates that most world-class practitioners, from Olympic athletes to leading neurosurgeons to everything else strongly tend to have at least 10,000 hours of hard practice behind them. Like the sign just before you board many amusement rides, It takes this much to be "world class".While such people are both rare and extraordinary in what they have achieved, as I get older, the idea of what 25,000 or 50,000-hour expertise can yeild and where it may be found is even more riveting. Simple math, and the underlying story from JDOS lead me to conclude Jiro can correctly be considered to be at least a 50,000-hour practitioner... beyond "merely" meeting the definition of world-class, and I stand in total awe. In Groundhog Day, the circumstances of Phil Connors life... repeating the opportunity to further refine who he was.. ultimately yielded an unimaginable ability to contribute to the day in which he was stuck. It all came from the evolution of his point of view over an unknown but very, very long period of time... at least decades, maybe thousands of years...who knows? I think Jiro is as close to a real-world Phil Connors as I will ever know of, and that is meant in the best possible sense. I want to know more.Because of this, I feel this film has value beyond "just entertainment" or art. I don't think an everyday outsider can truly see a craft the way a dedicated practitioner sees it, or even how to move toward it if they are interested. But they can get little insights.. glimpses... clues... behaviors... points of view... standards... confirmation that they do think about their work differently, and maybe even show you a little of the flavor of some of those differences. A real-life, late-stage Phil Connors would be an amazing advancement of uncommon high-road post-Jesuit human pursuit... an invaluable example for some people to understand if they existed beyond the realm of the thought experiment. I feel this film documents that point of "what is possible" and a little of how it's possible, from which those who are inclined toward excellence can experience that truly invaluable take-away. The effect 90 minutes of exposure to Jiro's belief system could be at least called usable encouragement, and quite possibly mentoring.Having said this, JDOS also works as a film... I never noticed the movie-making decisions/execution, or the selection of content or the pacing. I just noticed Jiro's philosophy, and for that, I must give enormous credit to the film maker. He got out of the way completely and let Jiro and his philosophy exist without the distraction of film-making. I can only imagine how James Cameron would completely and thoroughly butcher the subject.Before I saw "Jiro Dreams of Sushi", 5 of the 630 movies I have rated carried 10 stars. Now there are 6. I have always held a special reverence for "On Any Sunday"... I consider it to be the most important film I had seen in my first 50 years for the extraordinary gift of a life-long passion it bestowed upon me. I live a richer life everyday because I saw it. Again, I am fortunate to have encountered a film that can affect my life at that level... I think Jiro is the most important film I've ever seen since OAS in 1971 because of how it it clarifies and reinforces some of the most important philosophies and ethics I hold. It's not for everyone, but for some, it will be amazing.

What it really means to be picky and why it's worth being picky, as seen via Sushi and international awards acknowledging how much people appreciate your pickiness about what you eat / serve / make.Please, people....be picky.

I had gotten a referral from a friend to see this movie because she knows that I LOVE SUSHI!!! And I'm a fanatic when it comes to eating great sushi and hearing about everything that goes into it, where to get it, how to make etc. So I made it a point to get the movie.Now I'm even more enthusiastic about getting me some good sushi....it was incredible watching Jiro and his journey....its true he is the absolute master in the game. It goes to show you, find something you truly love and then find a way to make money!!! that's the secret to his success. Jiro is such a wonderful person, he went through many struggles. I loved seeing him; this was a great documetary....it won't really show you "how to make" sushi but its the look into the mind and world of a man "truly sent here from God" who possesses the integrity and desire to BE THE BEST at his one true gift; that is making sushi. His outright determination to honor the skill and craft his ability to respect the art of making sushi is enough to make you want to cry. He has mastered this skill to a level that no one else could dream of; at all the same time mentoring his sons to follow in his footsteps!!! what an exepctional documentary; the boys were so loyal and greatful to have been taught by the master.Jiro has done this same craft for over 75 years!!! I can't even imagine what that must be like that's why I rented the movie!! the filmmakers allowed us to see up front what kind of person it takes to become a legend like Jiro. I'm simply in aw over him. I can't believe i witnessed it with my own eyes. It does not get any better than this.As I continue to salivate I'm saving to make my way to Japan to see if I can get to his restaurant!!! Maybe I can meet him and shake his hand....we'll see!!Happy eating!

This movie is a study of what it means to be excellent. So much of current culture is about "hustle" or "showing that you went there", but the men in this film are truly dedicated to the life they all chose. Difficult and beautiful, we see the depth of trust that they have for each other, built on a mutual understanding of exacting standards. Jiro no longer accepts public reservations because of the vacuous Instagram culture, which clearly set upon his exquisite restaurant. The tastes of the excellent are expensive and powerful, and the experience of being in the presence of such a chef and his apprentices must be one of life's treasures.

Zunächst das wichtigste vorab: Japanisch mit englischen Untertiteln. Ich finde die Dialoge aber einfach. Man kommt damit zurecht.Wer hier irgendwelche aberwitzigen und kultigen 3-Sterne-Kreationen erwartet ist womöglich enttäuscht. Denn nicht California Rolls sondern Edomae Sushi ist Thema des Films. D.h. nahezu ausschließlich Nigiris (wenig Gunkan Makis oder Mononorimaki) sind in der klassischen Sushischule nach Tokyoter Art (=Edomae) zu finden. Der Film handelt von Jiro Ono, der seit ca 75 Jahren Sushi zubereitet und die Nigiri trotz aller Einfachheit offensichtlich zu einer derartigen geschmacklichen Perfektion gebracht hat, das es Michelin 3 Sterne wert ist. Ein Blick in die Küche einer 3 Sterne Sushibar, ein Blick über die Schultern der Sushiköche beim Einkauf des Fisches, beim zubereiten des Reis, vorbereiten der Fische bis hin zum fertigen Nigiri. Immer wieder mit Interviews aller beteiligten. Man lernt dabei viel über die Philosophie des Edomae Sushi. Aber um sich irgendwelche "Tips und Tricks" abzukucken der falsche Film!In meinen Augen ein Film für diejenigen, die mehr über das traditionelle Sushi wissen möchten und solch, die Sushi, so wie ich, einfach lieben.

Jiro Dreams ist nicht abspielbar, da nur für Region 1 (NSTC) . Sehr enttäuschend und unverständlich, da aus meiner Anschrift doch klar hervorgeht, wo ich wohne und das hier nur Region 2 geht(PAL).

Finde es sehr ärgerlich, dass nicht darauf hingewiesen wird, dass der Film im NTSC Format verkauft wird und somit auf den meisten DVD oder Blue Ray Player nicht läuft.

世界的に評価の高い銀座“すきやばし次郎”の店主　小野二郎さんをアメリカ人監督のデヴィッド・ゲルブが外国人が見た日本の鮨職人のドキュメンタリ−映画として制作した。小野二郎さんを初め、二人の息子小野禎一さん、 小野隆士さん、旧知の間柄の料理評論家 山本益博さんの解説を交え“すきやばし次郎”の職人仕事をそこで働く弟子達、食材を調達する業者 の証言も踏まえ深く掘り下げてる。一握りの鮨が握られ客の目の前に出されるまでの膨大な手間仕事に驚かされる。築地市場内の様子も捉えられ圧巻です。来る高齢化社会にあって公開当時８５歳の小野二郎さんの現役の間は常に頂点を目指そうと言う向上心も大いに勇気付けられるのではないだろうか？江戸前鮨職人として人生の大半を費やして来た人にしか言えない言葉の数々“仕事は自分から合わせる、与えられた仕事を天職と思って打ち込まなければ極められない”など自分に厳しい小野二郎さんならではの言葉には説得力が有ります。極める事の無い飽くなき技術の習得にこれからも奔走するあまりにも偉大な師匠でもある小野二郎さんを父に持つ二人の息子のこれからの行く末も・・・・とにかく大変でしょう！何かと比較されて！並み大抵な事では無いが父親を超えてほしいです。クラッシック音楽が効果的に使われ小野二郎さんの美学“シンプルを極めるとピュアになる”の副題の如く芸術的作品である“鮨”を握る様に花を添えてる。日本の食文化の代表である鮨とそれを担う職人仕事の記録映画としては海外では異例の賞賛を浴びたらしいが、マイスタ−制度のある西洋諸国の人々をも魅了するその仕事が我々日本人としては誇らしい！劇場でこの映画を観たが、本編に加え、本編未公開シ−ン、食材の匠たちと題してマグロの仲買人、米の業者などのインタビュ−　更にデヴィッド・ゲルブ監督来日時インタビューでの小野二郎さんの魅力を余す事無く語られデヴィッド・ゲルブ(監督)×ブランドン・ドリスコル=ルットリンガー(編集）による丸々一本音声解説など本編以上に魅力的な特典映像が付加価値でしょう。

Watch this before you visit sukiyabashi jiro hotan. You will have better experience.