Directed by:
Robert Allan AckermanScreenplay:
Becca TopolCinematography:
Yoshitaka SakamotoComposer:
Carlo SiliottoCast:
Brittany Murphy, 西田敏行, Tammy Blanchard, Renji Ishibashi, Gabriel Mann, Kimiko Yo, Daniel Evans, Kazuya Takahashi, Rei Okamoto, Shoichiro Masumoto, Dona Granata (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
An American slacker (Brittany Murphy) abandoned by her boyfriend in Tokyo finds her calling in an unlikely place: a local ramen house run by a tyrannical chef who doesn't speak of a word of English. Undaunted by the chef's raging crankiness, Abby convinces him to teach her the art of ramen preparation...and despite hilarious clashes of culture and personality, she learns how to put passion and spirit into her life as well as her cooking. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
If it weren't for the Japanese setting, I'd probably rate the film as average. As it is, it's a little above average. Brittany Murphy was a great choice for the Ramen Girl. Her absent-mindedness and temperament dances with Japanese calm and composure. The atmosphere of the restaurant makes the film enjoyable. But it is definitely not a comedy, and certainly not a romance. A nice 3.5 stars.
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I really wanted a comedy; this just wasn't anything of the kind. It's not even really a romance. It's something set in the work environment, and it happens to be set in Japan. That's why the moron Abby can't just be forgiven. :-D No, I wasn't really interested. I just got a craving for ramen, and where am I supposed to satisfy it? And it's got a weird ending. For me, anyway. A little bit Japanese and a lot too – ruinously – American. Otherwise, I can recommend it to anyone who knows nothing about Japan. For the rest of us, I'd be more likely to recommend Lost in Translation (if you want to go to Japan with the Yanks ^^).
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