I Went Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Caught Nothing

As I need a good romantic comedy fix now and again, I was really looking forward to Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, with its charming cast and apropos director known for his feel-good flicks like Chocolat. That being said, I left feeling beyond disappointed. The plot is too convoluted to effectively summarize, but it is basically about a team of people trying to introduce salmon into the Yemen to please a sheik, all the while the British government is using the story to help put a positive spin on tumultuous Middle East and Western relations in the media. 

That’s where all the trouble begins - the story. It is difficult to follow; Who is who, what is what, and why they are doing this in the first place is unclear. I’m not afraid to admit I had no idea what was going on half the time. Beyond that, the rest of film was predictable. I don’t necessarily believe that predictability is bad or an indicator of the strength of a film, but this all felt a little too contrived. From the get-go, the film was built around the two protagonists (Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor) inevitably falling in love. The rest of the movie suffered because of this. All other stories and characters were marginalized to the point of uselessness. In a romantic comedy, we all know the two characters are fated to end up together despite any threatening challenges, but there must be a little give and take for the audience to truly root for the couple by the end. This give and take was no where to be found because of how set up the entire relationship felt. Consequently, I left the theater feeling unsatisfied and manipulated. 

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen attempted to deal with complicated global issues, but it didn’t exactly pan out. The British government probably feels mocked. Yemen probably feels mocked. The whole thing was embarrassing. The sheik was portrayed as this all-knowing figure, who didn’t say much beyond offering words of wisdom at the film’s convenience. There were also significantly under explained Middle Eastern men trying to assassinate the sheik. I found it offensive. It was a stereotypical Westerner view of the Middle East. Isn’t that what the film was trying to fight against? Apparently not. 

The film’s only redeeming quality was the casting. Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor both make consistently enjoyable films, so I’m surprised they agreed to this one. Nevertheless, both did what they could with a boring, uninspired script. They brought as much life as possible to their characters, giving multi-layered performances. Both of them stepped out of their comfort zones, which was nice to watch. McGregor played less confident than usual, and Blunt played less stiff than usual. Not to mention their chemistry was the one element that kept the film from being unbearable.

With the slew of good films over the past few weeks, I would suggest avoiding this one as appealing as it may look. Unfortunately, it is definitely less warm and fuzzy than it is cold and scaly. 

WWJD? - Jiro Dreams of Sushi review

I love Toronto. I love that we have an entire building dedicated to the love of cinema. I love that on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, a small documentary called Jiro Dreams of Sushi was sold out and shown to a packed theater, as if it was the latest blockbuster. This film deserves all of the praise and hype it has been receiving, and then some. I feel grateful and indebted to David Gleb for directing this beautiful documentary. 

Jiro Dreams of Sushi tells the story of world-renowned sushi chef, Jiro Ono. He is 85 years young, and has not stopped working for a day in his life. Despite being considered the best sushi chef alive, Jiro strongly believes there is still and always will be room for improvement. He is on an ongoing quest to reach the top, although he claims that no one really knows where the top even is. This is a film about following your bliss; finding your passion and pursuing it to the highest degree every single day. Jiro personifies these ideals. His amount of discipline, dedication, and drive are all astonishing and commendable traits. We could all learn from Jiro, which is why I have officially reclaimed the phrase “WWJD” to mean “What Would Jiro Do?” Start making the wristbands now! 

The film itself follows Jiro and his two sons at the small ten seat restaurant, as they prepare sushi, serve customers, train apprentices, and choose only the best quality fish and rice. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is filmed as precisely as Jiro makes sushi. It is a perfect showcase of Jiro’s work because the film is made with as much passion for cinema as Jiro has for sushi. Many times throughout the documentary, Jiro mentions that the key to perfection is repetitiveness. To mirror this, Gleb shows Jiro plating different pieces of sushi over and over again over the course of the movie. His shots of the sushi are simply delectable. Never have I been so close to smelling and tasting food off a screen. It is a true testament to the beauty of both Jiro’s and Gleb’s work. 

Accompanying the breathtaking cinematography, there is a soundtrack to die for. A food writer compares Jiro’s specialized menus to concertos in music. Most of the film is expertly paired with classical music, mostly played or composed by Philip Glass, another master in his field. Again, the passion of the classical music is another pitch-perfect manifestation of Jiro’s own passion. It also must be mentioned that the sounds of the kitchen are amplified, which adds another level of heightened sense and creates its own orchestra of utensils. Through the chopping, clanking, stirring, cooking, and cutting sounds, I felt as if I was right there in Jiro’s restaurant on the other side of the globe in Tokyo. 

This is a must-see for the foodie, for the uninspired, for the cinephile, and for everyone in between. It is a tribute to a great chef, but it is also a tribute to the importance of finding one’s calling in life. I have a soft spot for documentaries, and I love them even more when it is a documentary I can recommend to my friends because it is so charming and lovely. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is one of those documentaries. The only downside to watching it is that you will never want to eat Toronto sushi again because you know, in your heart of hearts, that Jiro just wouldn’t approve of what’s on your plate. 

Being Overwhelmed by Being Flynn

Tonight I was lucky enough to catch an advanced screening of the new film, Being Flynn, directed by Paul Weitz. I am having a hard time processing my thoughts on this film because it is such an emotional roller coaster. More downs than ups to be sure, but it is undoubtedly a rewarding ride. 

In brief, Being Flynn is the semi-autobiographical story of Nick Flynn, a young man (played by Paul Dano) trying to come to terms with his past, his present, and his estranged father (played by Robert De Niro) who shows up out of the blue after eighteen years. It’s a movie that tackles a lot of subject matter in a short running time, which makes it difficult to swallow whole. It is one of those lump-in-your-throat-the-entire-time movies. The characters’ struggles are so deeply intense and personal that one cannot help but struggle right along with them. 

As I mentioned, the movie deals with a lot of themes, all of which help to unravel a delicate story of a father/son relationship. Memories play a huge part of this film. They work to create the melancholic, reflective tone that hovers throughout. These are some of the scenes that stick most in my mind because they are crafted perfectly to add layers to and humanize our protagonist, Nick. We see private moments between him and his mother (played by Julianne Moore) that are lovely to be of witness to. There is a tenderness to these scenes that add a welcome contrast to the harshness within the other parts of the film. 

Another underlying theme of Being Flynn is writing, and the writing process. Nick and his father are both writers, and this comes up frequently. In a way, this is the only thing connecting them at first. As someone who loves the written word, I certainly appreciated this idea. The passion for writing can be seen in each line of the script, in each scene, and in each minute detail of character. This is a nuanced film, capturing moments that only a writer would think to notice. 

I can’t go on further without mentioning the pure OOMPH that is Robert De Niro. A high school teacher of mine told me that so many actors end up becoming parodies of themselves. For the most part, I have unfortunately found this to be true. We all know De Niro has not been up to form as of late, but his performance as Johnathan Flynn is one to be remembered and embraced. He oozes “the method” - he is dedicated to this character in a way that I haven’t seen in a long time. It is the utmost refreshing. He brings humour to a character who is nearly impossible to like, and brings humanity to a man who doesn’t have much of it on his own.

Paul Dano also gives a notable performance, as expected. This kid can do no wrong and I sincerely hope he continues to make smart choices with his roles. I can see him becoming a force to be reckoned with, even more so than he already is. In his quiet way, he displays powerful emotion. With one look or gesture, we all know exactly what he is thinking, feeling, and experiencing. I hear Oscar calling. Strong supporting mentions go to Julianne Moore and Olivia Thirbly, who are always captivating to watch. I love actors who can make supporting roles memorable - actors who leave you wanting more of their onscreen presence. 

With a killer soundtrack consisting of songs by Badly Drawn Boy, Paul Weitz certainly knows how to impact an audience. He is a writer and director who wears his heart on his sleeve, perhaps to the point of audience manipulation. But in that regard, at least he comes by it honestly and for the right reasons. It is genuine, for the love of all that is good, warm and fuzzy film making. Maybe I’m a sap, but I personally don’t have a problem with any of that.