'Jiro Dreams Of Sushi' is about Jiro Ono, an 85 year old sushi master, on his continuing quest to perfect the art of sushi. It also follows Jiro's oldest son Yoshikazu who works for him. The movie is simple. Jiro's routine is simple. His restaurant is bare bones, no appetizers, no Saki, reservations are taken a month in advance. The dining experience lasts around 15 minutes. Jiro has dedicated his life and what would seem every waking moment in that life to be a better sushi chef. He is constantly trying to improve the taste and presentation of his sushi.
What's left out or implied in the movie is the effect this has had on Jiro's family life or lack there of. His wife is referenced but never shown. His sons childhood is talked about briefly. Jiro says "I let them graduate high school, they wanted to go to college but I convinced them to work at the restaurant." There's something sad or fatalistic about his sons lives. His younger son started his own sushi restaurant while his older son waits to succeed his father. There's a heartbreaking scene where Yoshikazu tells us what his dreams are "I use to want to be a fighter pilot, then I wanted to be a race car driver." You don't know if Yoshikazu actually wants to be a sushi chef. He's an amazing one but you don't know if it's actually what he wants to be one. He might. It's not clear that he doesn't enjoy it, doesn't love it, but you get the sense that his father and him feel differently about sushi.
Jiro's philosophy on sushi can be applied to anything. Whatever you have a passion for his approach to sushi will identify with. But at the end of the day I think this movie is about Yoshikazu. What are his passions, what are his dreams, what's it like living in your fathers shadow, being guided down a path you may not want to take. The movie was inspiring and joyful and bittersweet.
See It.
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