Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: March 9, 2012 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
77
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews
Positive:
25
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzApr 19, 2012
Jiro Ono is a magician. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleMarc SavlovMar 21, 2012
This artful documentary about renowned Tokyo sushi master Jiro Ono is not going to help save Charlie the Tuna one iota. Read full review
88
Boston GlobeTy BurrApr 5, 2012
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a foodie's delight, obviously, and best seen either on a full stomach or with restaurant reservations immediately following. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderMike SulaApr 5, 2012
The most interesting moments, however, belong not to the chef but to those who labor in his shadow. "Jiro's ghost will always be watching," observes one interview subject as he imagines Jiro's eventual passing and its probable effect on his 50-ish son, who follows in his father's footsteps but will never be considered his equal. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertApr 4, 2012
This is a portrait of tunnel vision. Jiro exists to make sushi. Sushi exists to be made by Jiro. Read full review
88
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsApr 5, 2012
We meet a variety of interdependent characters, from tuna vendors to rice experts, all in thrall to Jiro and his sons. I really wish Tokyo were closer. Read full review
80
EmpireSimon CrookJan 7, 2013
Treating his seafood substantially better than Oldboy, Jiro is a miracle of perfectionism married to expertise. The same can said for Gelb's loving documentary. Read full review
83
Entertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanMar 21, 2012
Director David Gelb pulls back the curtain on the kitchen rituals of sushi, inviting us to experience the savory-smooth sensation of ''umami,'' roughly translated as ''Ahhh!'' Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranMar 15, 2012
Even if you don't fancy raw fish, "Jiro" is a captivating film. Read full review
85
MovielineStephanie ZacharekMar 7, 2012
At its simplest level, Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a portrait of a master. In its deeper layers, it explores what drives us to make things: Beautiful, jewel-like things, or things that delight our palate – or, in this case, both. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierMar 9, 2012
An extraordinary morsel of a movie, and yes, you'll want sushi afterward. But it won't taste like Jiro's. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. MusettoMar 9, 2012
The real star of the movie is the delectable sushi itself. Viewers will be tempted to hop the next flight to Tokyo, but probably will have to settle for a Japanese eatery closer to home. Read full review
70
NPRMark JenkinsMar 9, 2012
The movie's first word is oishi, Japanese for "delicious," and what follows is a treat for sushi veterans. First-timers, however, may wish for a little more context. Read full review
88
Philadelphia InquirerSteven ReaMar 22, 2012
David Gelb's thoughtful and wonderful documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, explores the dedication of this humble, bespectacled man, and the Zen-like focus he has for his work - or, as many would claim, for his art. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianShawn LevyMar 22, 2012
Beautiful, thoughtful and engrossing. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleWalter AddiegoMar 24, 2012
The image that finally lingers is one shown repeatedly: a close-up of fingers gently pressing a piece of fish onto a handheld oblong of rice, painting it with a single brushing of sauce and laying it on a plate, after which the preparer steps back. We're left to contemplate the pristine creation and envy Jiro's lucky customers. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineKenji FujishimaMar 4, 2012
Director David Gelb details, among other things, the painstaking process that goes into creating mouthwatering pieces of sushi. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayMar 7, 2012
David Gelb's documentary Jiro Dreams Of Sushi shows what a meal at Sukiyabashi Jiro is like: each morsel prepared simply and perfectly, then replaced by another as soon as the previous piece is consumed, with no repetition of courses. Once an item is gone, it doesn't come back. That's why each one has to be memorable. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam LaceyMar 16, 2012
As a young man he dreamed of racing cars. Now he rides a bicycle to the market each day, to negotiate with an elite fraternity of top fish dealers, who save their best for Jiri's restaurant. Like the fish that are disappearing from the oceans, they're probably the last of a breed. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterMaggie LeeMar 4, 2012
It's torture to watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi - if you are on an empty stomach. David Gelb's documentary on Jiro Ono, the 85-year-old sushi chef whose Tokyo restaurant received three Michelin stars is a paean to perfectionism and crafty bit of food porn. Read full review
60
The New York TimesNicolas RapoldMar 8, 2012
Despite foodie-baiting close-ups of nigiri sushi brushed with soy sauce, and montages of skillful food prep, the film falls short as a satisfying exploration of craft. Like many other such portraits, it wastes valuable time declaring its subject's excellence that could be spent fleshing out demonstrations, explanations, context. Read full review
70
TimeMary PolsMar 12, 2012
It's beautifully photographed and explained at every stage from market to table, a foodie's dream night at the movies. The gentle shaping of the fish and sushi could lull you into a trance. A hungry trance. Read full review
100
Time OutKeith UhlichMar 6, 2012
A dream, indeed. Sure to delight foodies and cinephiles alike. Read full review
70
VarietyLeslie FelperinMar 4, 2012
The worst that could be said of helmer David Gelb's feature debut is that it's perhaps a little over-garnished with backstory about Ono's relationship with his two sons, and is slightly repetitive. That said, this intrinsically compelling hymn to craftsmanship and taste in every sense should cleanse palates. Read full review
70
Village VoiceBenjamin MercerMar 6, 2012
Gelb might flit around a bit too much, but his appealing documentary always comes back to its subject's determination (sometimes overbearing) to leave the most meaningful possible legacy to his family and his craft. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternMar 22, 2012
One of the film's best moments of deliciousness comes with the revelation that Yoshikazu, rather than his father, made the sushi that won the Michelin inspectors over; so much for working humbly in the old man's shadow. Read full review
75
Washington PostStephanie MerryMar 23, 2012
For all the trite sayings that come to mind, the story feels exceptional thanks to the subject, a self-made perfectionist still pursuing culinary transcendence. Read full review
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