Tampopo

Fun, Fun, Fun

Tampopo is brimming with funny moments. Truck drivers taking on the quest of rejuvenating a noodle restaurant provide the plot and about half of the running time. The rest features characters who don't stick around for long, but keep the pace moving. Both the truckers (who have many cowboy attributes) and the restaurant owner are amazed by the situation they find themselves in, but the energy they devote to the task is unquestionable.

The most sublime comic element in the movie has to be the reverence given to food. The careful observation of the practices, rituals and pleasures of food by both the camera and the characters inspires laughter on its own. There is so much sincerity in the treatment that it overwhelmed me. I was giddy with my new appreciation of noodles!

Hungry?

I don't think I've ever been as hungry after watching a movie as I was after watching Tampopo! Every scene is about food. It may be people ordering at a restaurant, people eating at a restaurant, people trying to run a restaurant, or people studying restaurants to emulate their better characteristics. There are even scenes of the sexual uses of foods. This movie tickles more senses than the average!

Be careful! Be sure you know a source for high-quality Japanese food that will be open at the movie's end. I couldn't quite remember the location of the one noodle place near the screening, so I settled for pre-packaged ramen. See the movie, but don't make the same mistake!