On Perfection: Tampopo

It was almost ten years ago that I first came across Juzo Itami's transcendent Tampopo.
Since that time, I've probably watched it once a month, if not double that.

Why?

Because it may just be the perfect film.

Ostensibly a conventional story about a drifter who ambles into town and helps the local widow achieve a better life for herself and son, while protecting her from local bad guys; this incredible film is so much more than that.

It's nothing less than a meditation on perfection.

What is perfection? That's entirely arguable. Tampopo humbly posits that perfection is the ultimate union of form, function, and effort.

In this case, the local widow, the Tampopo of the title, has inherited her deceased husband's noodle shop, and is struggling to keep it afloat. When Goro, the driver/cowboy, and his partner stop in one rainy night for noodles, they find Tampopo serving mediocre ramen, her son getting beaten up, and surly toughs infesting the bar. Dire straights.

I don't want to spoil anything, but Goro is wise in the ways of many things, including noodles, and he agrees to tutor Tampopo in the art of making a great bowl of ramen.

Research is done, a crack team is assembled, and the search for the perfect bowl of noodles is off and running.

If you like food movies, or Japanese comedies, or meditations on what is best in life, or adventures, or romance, then you'll love Tampopo.






Tampopo on amazon.

Tampopo at wikipedia.

Wonderful Tampopo review from Hal Hinson of the Washinton Post.

Juzo Itami at imdb.com.