REVIEW - JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a motivating and inspiring documentary. My doubts about the genre as able to make an impression on audiences, and tell a story, have been vanquished. The validity of the genre was critiqued in an episode of Community that I watched recently (despite the show being around for a few years now I have only recently gotten into it and have since been devouring the episodes as Bruce Bogtrotter devours chocolate cake in Matilda.). Community constantly makes 'meta', or self-referential jokes about the making of TV in general. In this episode, Abed, and his desire to be a film-maker, are used as a a vehicle through which the validity of the documentary genre as an effective storytelling device are questioned. The layering is very clever - 'Abed's' editing and the editing of the show are used to make clever allusions and quips about the genre; but the moving, if slightly sarcastic, ending of the episode confirms that the documentary genre can work.
Back to Jiro in which the assertion that Community makes certainly rings true. The film is entirely in Japanese and consists of many small stories, almost sub-plots which are communicated mostly through interviews, but also through some live footage of Jiro and his associate's lives:
JIRO: The story of Jiro's life is introduced as mystery. Why is this man still motivated, at the age of 85, to continue to work so hard just to make his sushi taste better? His Michelin Stars help heighten the mystery too - how can this tiny, underground restaurant which seats only ten, be deserving of the most prestigious award in the world? Gelb makes the clever decision not to introduce Jiro's life in chronological order, which would make the film predictable. Rather, he unveils layers to the mystery of Jiro by slowly introducing various people from his life to try and help you make sense of his cause. The interview questions Jiro is asked are really well constructed, as they constantly provoke insightful responses. You get a sense that Jiro and his high standards are almost other-worldly, a result of the generational and cultural gaps between him and the audience. His high morals and tragic childhood transform him easily into the hero of the 'story':
"Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success... and is the key to being regarded honourably."
YOSHIKAZU & TAKASHI: Jiro's sons provide the central conflict of the documentary. They are both middle-aged, and yet still live under the rule of their father. Both are sushi chefs - a role they desired, or were pushed into? Yoshikazu, the older, admits to having other dreams as a child, but whether these were serious aspirations, we are left to wonder.
Back to Jiro in which the assertion that Community makes certainly rings true. The film is entirely in Japanese and consists of many small stories, almost sub-plots which are communicated mostly through interviews, but also through some live footage of Jiro and his associate's lives:
JIRO: The story of Jiro's life is introduced as mystery. Why is this man still motivated, at the age of 85, to continue to work so hard just to make his sushi taste better? His Michelin Stars help heighten the mystery too - how can this tiny, underground restaurant which seats only ten, be deserving of the most prestigious award in the world? Gelb makes the clever decision not to introduce Jiro's life in chronological order, which would make the film predictable. Rather, he unveils layers to the mystery of Jiro by slowly introducing various people from his life to try and help you make sense of his cause. The interview questions Jiro is asked are really well constructed, as they constantly provoke insightful responses. You get a sense that Jiro and his high standards are almost other-worldly, a result of the generational and cultural gaps between him and the audience. His high morals and tragic childhood transform him easily into the hero of the 'story':
"Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success... and is the key to being regarded honourably."
YOSHIKAZU & TAKASHI: Jiro's sons provide the central conflict of the documentary. They are both middle-aged, and yet still live under the rule of their father. Both are sushi chefs - a role they desired, or were pushed into? Yoshikazu, the older, admits to having other dreams as a child, but whether these were serious aspirations, we are left to wonder.
APPRENTICES & SHOKUNIN: The spirit of Shokunin - which can vaguely be translated as the spirit of true craftsmanship - is a theme throughout all these stories. It is purported as the thing that makes Jiro so brilliant - dedication to an unattainable, never-ending quest for perfection. Jiro's former and current apprentices play the role of underdogs - normal people striving for the kind of success that Jiro has been able to achieve - they are perhaps the most relatable characters. Through their interviews, describing their incredible experiences working under Jiro, a harsher image of the protagonist appears and the sense of mystery surrounding Jiro thickens.
Story elements aside, the soundtrack and camera work were really commendable. The close-up and macro work on the sushi was really effective. Insights are given into the food industry in Japan as well - which are really interesting. You explore the fish market, and learn a little of the problems facing it. Jiro Dreams of Sushi really opened my eyes - it reminded me that it is possible to be so passionate about something that you'd be happy spending the rest of your life doing it, which can be easy to forget in our modern workforce, where everybody desires 'all-rounders' and the value of hard work, dedication and passion often seems lost.
