Critical Praise

Burr's review similarly focuses on Jiro and his obsession with perfecting his art, but he also discusses the film's portrayal of Jiro's relationship with his sons. He elaborates on Jiro's dedication to his trade by noting that Jiro serves only sushi at his establishment (no alcohol or appetizers), seeks fish “vendors whose standards are as exacting as his”, massages his octupi for 40-50 minutes prior to serving, and believes his sushi “always has to taste better than last time”. Burr defends Jiro's master status by citing his critical acclaim from Anthony Bourdain, the Michelin Red Guide, and even the Japanese government. But after building Jiro up as a hero, Burr also suggests he has flaws by outlining the story of Yoshikazu, who at age 50 is still stuck in the shadow of his elderly father who expects his eldest son to take over the restaurant yet refuses to relinquish control. Burr effectively establishes Gelb's documentary as worthy of viewership by emphasizing the human element of the film as opposed to just the sushi wizardry. He manages to mention Gelb's filmmaking skill as well, praising his effective use of orchestral accompaniments and slow-motion close-ups during the sushi's preparation.

Goodykoontz focuses his review on Jiro, who he compares with a magician obsessed with his craft. He argues that Jiro's sushi making technique appears simple on the surface, but that the process and end result still mystify the audience, exhibiting the magical quality of artistic mastery. Goodykoontz goes on to overview some of Jiro's practices documented in the film: his pursuit of the highest quality ingredients, his distaste for holiday's, his careful molding of the nigiri, his hope for his eldest son Yoshikazu to continue his legacy. All of this reinforces his argument that Jiro is an artist devoted to his work. Goodykoontz proposes that we all yearn to find our calling in life like Jiro has found, and that is why Jiro's story is so interesting. He asks “What must that be like, to know the answers, to be sure of them?”, but his question answers itself. Surely even Jiro is haunted by doubt at times, as evident when he confesses with an unmistakable hint of regret that his work distanced himself from sons' childhoods.

Ebert also chooses to spend his review exploring Jiro's unique character, although he takes a more critical view of Jiro's artistic devotion. Ebert endorses the film by expressing his personal interest in Jiro. After describing Jiro's precise attention to detail and highly refined skill in a similar fashion as the other reviewers, he wonders what Jiro's life outside work is like and notes that the documentary leaves this to the imagination. He questions what hobbies Jiro may or may not have, how he courted his wife, and whether he truly continues to feel improvement after having already gained the highest honors and respect of his patrons. By presenting Jiro as a mysterious and somewhat tragic figure, Ebert is able to pique the reader's curiosity while implicitly complimenting Gelb's documentary.