Critical reception
Which film critic likened the film to an experience of tunnel vision?
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
The film received very positive reviews from critics. The film earned a rating of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 70 reviews and an average rating of 7.8/10, with the critical consensus saying, "Beautiful, thoughtful, and engrossing, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" should prove satisfying even for filmgoers who don't care for the cuisine." It has a score of 77 on Metacritic based on 26 reviews. Roger Ebert called it a "portrait of tunnel vision" and concluded:"While watching it, I found myself drawn into the mystery of this man. Are there any unrealized wishes in his life? Secret diversions? Regrets? If you find an occupation you love and spend your entire life working at it, is that enough? Standing behind his counter, Jiro notices things. Some customers are left-handed, some right-handed. That helps determine where they are seated at his counter. As he serves a perfect piece of sushi, he observes it being eaten. He knows the history of that piece of seafood. He knows his staff has recently started massaging an octopus for 45 minutes and not half an hour, for example. Does he search a customer's eyes for a signal that this change has been an improvement? Half an hour of massage was good enough to win three Michelin stars. You realize the tragedy of Jiro Ono's life is that there are not, and will never be, four stars."