Jiro Dreams of Sushi 2011

Mary F. Pols, TIME Magazine: 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 more

Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: If you have any kind of affinity for the food at all, you will very much want to dine at Sukiyabashi Jiro, regardless of the distance or cost, after seeing Jiro Dreams Of Sushi... Read more

Nicolas Rapold, New York Times: Like many other such portraits, it wastes valuable time declaring its subject's excellence that could be spent fleshing out demonstrations, explanations, context. Read more

Keith Uhlich, Time Out: A dream, indeed. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: At the age of 85, the subject of this fascinating documentary not only dreams of sushi but still drives himself to make it better. Read more

Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: A case study in the phenomenon of mastery. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: Gelb creates a peaceful, contemplative mood with his long shots of men delicately molding fish onto rice, such that when Ono walks past a blaring shopping-mall video-screen at one point, the intrusion of the modern world seems out of place. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: Obsessive, we were saying? Oh my, yes, and that's what makes the film so compelling. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: Would you be willing to massage an octopus for 45 minutes, until its flesh possesses just the right amount of chewability? Jiro is. Read more

Mike Sula, Chicago Reader: The most interesting moments, however, belong not to the chef but to those who labor in his shadow. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: I really wish Tokyo were closer. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: 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 more

Maggie Lee, Hollywood Reporter: It's torture to watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi -- if you are on an empty stomach. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: "Jiro Dreams of Sushi"is as elegant and tasty as the splendid sushi prepared by the man in the title, and that is saying a lot Read more

John Anderson, Newsday: As exhausting as Jiro may be, he's also inspiring. Read more

Mark Jenkins, NPR: The movie's first word is oishi, Japanese for "delicious," and what follows is a treat for sushi veterans. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: An extraordinary morsel of a movie, and yes, you'll want sushi afterward. But it won't taste like Jiro's. Read more

V.A. Musetto, New York Post: The real star of the movie is the delectable sushi itself. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Jiro Dreams of Sushi isn't just a film for foodies, or Japanophiles. It's a meditation on work, on finding one's path in life, and then walking it with singular purpose. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: As a documentary about world-class sushi, this film is definitive. It runs only 81 minutes, but the subject is finite. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: By the time this graceful film is over you understand why Japan has declared the bald, bespectacled Jiro a national treasure. Even if you've never tasted sushi, the man's singleness of purpose will inspire you. Read more

Evan S. Benn, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: This documentary strikes a balance between storytelling and food porn that's hard to come by in foodie flicks. Like a proper sushi meal, "Jiro" left me feeling sated, not stuffed. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: A profile of a celebrity chef, a quick cultural immersion and many mouth-watering montages of food preparation in one package. Read more

Trevor Johnston, Time Out: The exquisite nigiri slices gleam with freshness, and you do learn about the component parts to the perfect serving of sea eel or gizzard shad. Read more

Stanley Kauffmann, The New Republic: Gelb apparently understood that his subject was itself so taking that he wouldn't need filmic embellishments to keep his viewers alert. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: It is as much a family saga as a visit to sushi nirvana, and that adds an unexpected and satisfying narrative to this visual stunner. Read more

Leslie Felperin, Variety: An appetizing portrait of 85-year-old Jiro Ono, the oldest chef to win three Michelin stars (for his 10-seater, sushi-only Tokyo restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro), pic is as clean and simple as one of its subject's creations. Read more

Benjamin Mercer, Village Voice: 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 more

Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: Overall, this is a pleasant and often enlightening journey. Read more