12-21-2009, 04:01 AM
I just watched a project she appeared in, "The Ramen Girl", on Netflix Instant, a small independent movie that nearly escaped attention, I loved it.
It's about a broken-hearted American girl in Japan who, instead of going back to the U.S. after her boyfriend dumps her, ends up crying in her soup in a local noodle shop, uncertain about her future. Lost and alone in Tokyo, she finds solace and redemption, eating there regularly, then convincing the family to let he her apprentice there. Then devoting herself learning the humble art of making ramen. Something Japanese patrons take seriously, not easy to master.
Ramen Girl of course submits to endless verbal abuse, but eventually prevails, as the crabby (soup nazi-type) shop owner and his wife become surrogate parental figures, taking in this combative young American, sharing the secrets of their delicious noodle soup. Ramen girl gets past her grief, finds herself, eventually returning to the U.S. to open her own noodle shop.
It's a melancholy, screwball version of "Lost in Translation". She carries the movie, awkwardly. It's not a great film, but it felt original, and heartfelt. I thought it was one of her most winning performances. Then I connected her to the other roles she's been in, and looked up her filmography (I liked her in 8 Mile) and bio on IMDB. She was funny, sexy, and talented. 32 is too young to die. So sad!
It's about a broken-hearted American girl in Japan who, instead of going back to the U.S. after her boyfriend dumps her, ends up crying in her soup in a local noodle shop, uncertain about her future. Lost and alone in Tokyo, she finds solace and redemption, eating there regularly, then convincing the family to let he her apprentice there. Then devoting herself learning the humble art of making ramen. Something Japanese patrons take seriously, not easy to master.
Ramen Girl of course submits to endless verbal abuse, but eventually prevails, as the crabby (soup nazi-type) shop owner and his wife become surrogate parental figures, taking in this combative young American, sharing the secrets of their delicious noodle soup. Ramen girl gets past her grief, finds herself, eventually returning to the U.S. to open her own noodle shop.
It's a melancholy, screwball version of "Lost in Translation". She carries the movie, awkwardly. It's not a great film, but it felt original, and heartfelt. I thought it was one of her most winning performances. Then I connected her to the other roles she's been in, and looked up her filmography (I liked her in 8 Mile) and bio on IMDB. She was funny, sexy, and talented. 32 is too young to die. So sad!