Film Recommendation: Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Jiro Dreams of Sushi, like the sushi it lovingly documents, is a small marvel. This is a film that is as much for artisans/artists as it is for appreciators. Rather than take the usual biopic route most documentaries of this type take, Jiro Dreams of Sushi details what makes Jiro Ono and his food so special: tireless work ethic and a stubborn insistence to better oneself. It's thematic rooting turns Jiro Dreams of Sushi into a film not just for connoisseurs of seafood, but for anyone who appreciates craft.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is gorgeous. The film is simultaneously spellbinding and demystifying; an hour and a half of almost magically delicious looking sushi inter cut with the sobering message that these delicious morsels are the product of not some natural-born talent but a lifetime of dedication to craft. The film also explores the price both Jiro and his sons pay for this excellence. A tale of familial fealty and the burdens of generational succession is woven in that effectively acts as a plot arch through the film.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a must see for creators of any stripe and appreciators of craft. It will inspire you, it's imagery will take your breath away, it will make you pause half way through and go get sushi. You can rent it from Amazon here.