Ramen Shop

Fact: this is the greatest 1.5 hours ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ramen Heads (2016), directed by Koki Shigeno, is a sumptuous visual feast into the world of Ramen seen through the eyes of one of Japan's most celebrated Ramen chefs, Osamu Tomita, and his rags to riches story; a Japanese boy from Ibaraki without focus and any talents who decides to learn how to cook ramen, succeeds, and goes on to phenomenal success. Ramen like Gyoza, Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba noodles is a staple of Japanese cuisine but Osamu Tomita has elevated the inexpensive fast food to new culinary heights and has kept his dish affordable to the Japanese consumer. Ramen is a delicious bowl of either meat or fish-based broth flavoured with or without soy or miso and served with Chinese-style wheat noodles and layered with various toppings such as slices of pork, dried seaweed, and green onion. The film is sub-titled. I loved the opening shot where the camera follows a random Japanese man through a warren of streets than switches to a random Japanese female that leads us to a Ramen shop. Shigeno, like Tomita himself, spares no attention to detail and beautifully films the techniques Osamu and other Ramen chefs use to prepare a steaming bowl of Ramen such as the careful preparation of the broth and use of ingredients, to the technique of shaking the water from the noodles after they are done cooking, to the slicing of chashu (pork belly), and to the layering of toppings such as slices of pork, seaweed, green onion, and other garnishes. The film includes an Anime story of the history of Ramen which is not only educational but delightful and is very apropos to understanding the evolution of Ramen in Japanese society. I particularly loved the close ups of the various ramen dishes and was disappointed not to see my favourite Ramen dish, Niko Niku Ramen, featured. I enjoyed the first person interviews with other notable Ramen chefs and watching them prepare their signature Ramen dish. Shigeno succeeds in creating a multi-faceted and intimate portrait of Osamu Tomita, the Ramen Chef, the boss, the family man, and the respected colleague, and a wonderful primer into the world of Ramen. When I was living in Japan, there was nothing more satisfying than a bowl of Ramen to lift my spirits from an exhausting day of teaching or to warm my belly on a cold winter's day. Although I never mastered the art of slurping (sliding the noodles down your throat without chewing), I did master the art of using chopsticks which amazed my Japanese friends and students. It is an amazing documentary and Japanophiles, foodies, wannabe Ramen chefs, aficionados's of cooking shows will absolutely love Ramen Heads. I highly recommend it for you won't be disappointed. I must warn you that it will leave you hungry and craving for a delicious bowl of Ramen.

Simple story about reconciliation and making peace w/the past. Beautifully told. Keeps your interest from beginning to end. WORTHWILE movie that is wonderfully done!

A celebration of food and cross cultural family. I felt it was a bit over the top in drama, but Having just been in Singapore, this was a good reminder of the food I enjoyed there. I saw it on a delta flight.

If you like stories inside the family and oriental food, this is your movie.

It is interesting how the film manages to mix a story based on deep themes with an interesting presentation about the parental meaning that the smallest things in our daily life carry. Despite sliding in certain performances and framings, the work brings commendable moments of filmography, especially the color and framings. An interesting experience.

Ramen Shop is a great feel good movie. This movie will tug on your heart strings. In this Asian theme contemporary, it deals with the subject of love, food, discovery, differences, and that love will always triumph over hatred. P.S. don't watch this movie hungry!

Such a lovely piece...combining family traditions, history, regrets, and the touching sentiment that a familiar taste is a bonding memory. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

5 Stars for me - due to nostagia of my birthplace, Singapore and of course the fabulous variety of hawkers' street food. Singapore chicken rice, Laksa, Singapore Carrot cake, Roti Prata, Fish Head Curry - and of course Bak Kut Teh. I left Singapore in the late 1990s - the movie's flashbacks on the interesting places brought back my own wonderful childhood memories. The anecdotes about soup making/brewing "mother always made soup" is so true for Cantonese mothers. I remembered clearly my Mum's amazingly varieties of soup for every meal. Of course, the cross cultural acceptance and prejudices in the film are real. Especially during that era (Masato's parents), most Singaporean families are not so tolerant of inter-racial marriages. All the characters are played well by the various actors. I am quite amused by the Singaporean Cantonese Grandmother who finally welcome the grandchild - "A family who cooks together - Stays Strong Together" I will definately re-watch it again, and introduced my two sons to this movie. If only to catch another glimpse of Chinatown, Joo Chiat and all those hawkers' food ... not forgetting the little history about the Chilli Crab!

Beautiful, touching story of love for family.