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Poster for Tampopo

Tampopo

Seen it?

1985 | 115 min | Comedy

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved A Simple Favor, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Light and funny.
The pace
Breezy, at 1 hr 55 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

In this humorous paean to the joys of food, a pair of truck drivers happen onto a decrepit roadside shop selling ramen noodles. The widowed owner, Tampopo, begs them to help her turn her establishment into a paragon of the "art of noodle-soup making". Interspersed are satirical vignettes about the importance of food to different aspects of human life.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 87 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.8 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerSolid

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 144K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Jūzō Itami

  • Tsutomu YamazakiGoro
  • Nobuko MiyamotoTampopo
  • Ken WatanabeGun
  • Koji YakushoWhite Suit Man
  • Rikiya YasuokaPisken
  • Kinzō SakuraShohei
  • Hyōe EnokiPisken's Henchman
  • Gō AwazuPisken's Henchman
  • Mario AbeRestaurant Owner
  • Izumi HaraOld Woman Pressing Camembert Cheese