Abby has been in Japan for just a handful of weeks when her boyfriend Ethan gets a job in Osaka and decides to leave without her, breaking up and cutting all the ties.
Desperate and this close to a nervous breakdown, one night Abby enters the ramen shop nearby her apartment and eats the best ramen bowl she has ever had.
Coming back to the old but cozy restaurant the next day, Abby is fascinated by how happy people look while eating their ramen and so she unilaterally decides to become chef Maezumi's apprentice.
Chef Maezumi is a cranky and gruff man who doesn't understand what the blond American girl wants from him...oh, yes, minor detail: Abby doesn't speak Japanese and chef Maezumi knows probably only a couple of words in English.
What's destined to be the fastest and most unproductive apprenticeship ever turns out into a life lesson for both characters, developing an unusual yet meaningful sensei/student relationship.
My Opinion👍👎
This movie fits perfectly the category of those movies to watch when you need something that doesn't require much effort to follow but still has an enjoyable storyline.
Well, clearly you can't burst into a restaurant and declare you'll work there for the time being (labor and immigration laws, bureaucratic stuff and so on, you know) but I really liked the development in Abby's character and the 'shock' therapy she gets from chef Maezumi: she goes from being a crybaby, leaving tons of tearful messages on Ethan's voicemail to a confident woman who can take care of herself.
Chef Maezumi also needed a push to step out all the anger and regrets he has been feeling for some time and Abby's stubbornness, paradoxically, do the trick: even if his change is more subtle you can tell he cares for her and, in his own tactless way, he teaches valuable lessons along who to make a good bowl of ramen.
A big miss for me is the fact that we don't get to see much of the city as much of the story develops inside the ramen shop, but it's still entertaining.
It DOES NOT pass the Bechdel-Wallace test
1. There must be at least two women (and the names must be known) ✔
2. The women have to talk to each other ✔
3. The topic of conversation can be about anything except men ❌
Rating: 2/5
Ph: wikipedia.com & postresoriginales.com
No comments
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.