JUZO ITAMI

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBBB

Alternate title:  Dandelion

Japan, 1985.  Itami Productions, New Century Productions.  Screenplay by Juzo Itami.  Cinematography by Masaki Tamura.  Produced by Seigo Hosogoe, Juzo Itami, Yasushi Tamaoki.  Music by Kunihiko Murai.  Production Design by Takeo Kimura.  Costume Design by Emiko Kogo.  Film Editing by Akira Suzuki.  

A cowboy (Tsutomu Yamazaki) walks into a noodle restaurant and informs its owner (Nobuko Miyamoto) that her noodles leave a lot to be desired. He then takes weeks to teach her how to reinvent the look of her establishment, the quality of its food, and, eventually, the quality of her life. In the meantime we are given vignettes of other citizens and the important role that this particular dish plays in their lives. This very charming comedy has subtle humour and great wisdom, with engaging characters and excellent performances that really put it across.