User reviews

This movie is based on the fascinating real story of Rolf Anschütz, an enterprising cook who managed to successfully run a Japanese restaurant in the backwaters of 1970ies East Germany. You have to consider that it required extensive networking to get hold even of a can of tinned pineapples behind the iron curtain. Other than suggested by the movie title, I'm not sure that this restaurant even served Sushi, which at the time was an obscure delicacy in most necks of the wodd outside of Japan.

With an interesting premise and great actors, the movie falters because of its generic script and has trouble filling its running time. The East German bureaucrats are initially reluctant to support the courageous plan, but quickly change their minds due to the "peaceful contest between nations", and because Anschütz-san's carp-and-rice concoctions sell like, erm, hot buns. It's an OK movie to watch, but Anschütz's culinary endeavours often feel like some sort of carnival, like a dystopic game of cowboys and Indians. This is more plain potatoes rather than sumptuous Sushi.