Movies that have scenes with sushi. Look at my list, and you’ll find some films you recognize.
Sushi in Film
Before we look at sushi movie scenes, I want to share the first time I ate sushi with you. I thought eating raw fish was not a delicacy. I thought I’d develop a super long worm in my stomach if I ate any of it.
A Japanese friend invited me to eat at a sushi restaurant near me. I told her of my fear of eating sushi. She told me the place she had in mind served her favorite sushi rolls, saying, “I will make sure you eat the good sushi.”
One day, I started thinking about sushi scenes in movies. I am excited about the idea and perused movies with sushi themes or scenes worth mentioning. I even asked some sushi masters if they knew of any sushi scenes in film. I went further and asked some sushi experts if they recalled seeing any sushi scenes in movies.
I discovered that there are nine movies with sushi scenes while writing this article. Two I left out because they are not my favorite.
The result of my search is fruitful, and the list is below. Most people will recognize these movies. They are well-known and made tons of money at the box office.
Seven Favorite Sushi Scenes
- Isle of Dogs (2018)
- The Breakfast Club (1985)
- Sex and the City 2 (2010)
- Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- Defending Your Life (1991)
- John Wick 3: Parabellum (2019)
- Johnny English (2003)
The sushi scene in Wes Anderson’s 2018 stop-motion animation classic, “Isle of Dogs,” took nearly six months to complete.
1. Isle of Dogs (2018)
Stop-motion animation movies by Wes Anderson take a whole new level of the filmmaking process. Anderson’s stories keep the audience interested in the sparky dialogue and visual touches of humor. For some, the movie may seem a bit quirky. The sushi scene in Isle of Dogs is a masterpiece of stop-motion animation.
The whole premise of the scene is to poison the despotic leader of the Asian nation that sends dogs to the remote island. If you haven’t seen this movie, I recommend it. All of the Anderson movies entertain.
2. The Breakfast Club (1985)
John Hughes wrote and directed The Breakfast Club. A few years later, he wrote and produced Home Alone. The movie is about five high school students sharing detention, who eventually talk about their problems and discover they have a lot in common. Each student is different, but all are exaggerated stereotypes.
The poignant movie stars Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and Anthony Michael Hall. Even today, I can safely say this is a movie that cuts deeply into the overall problems of public education in America.
My daughter relates to this movie because each student is very different from the others. They become friends while serving detention. Each student copes with the social pressures of high school, adapting to the high school scene as best they can.
The sushi scene is so funny because Ringwald opens up her bento box, and the others look at her like she opened up a can of sardines.
Kim Cattrall (far right) was also a sushi champion in “Sex and the City 2” (2010), but for different reasons. Source: Martamenchini, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3. Sex and the City 2 (2010)
Sex and the City 2 takes a silly look at sushi to entice a romantic interlude. Samantha covers sexy areas of her naked body. She is waiting for her lover when the phone rings. She obviously can’t answer the phone.
Honestly, I have never seen the cable show or the movies. I did watch the clip, which is age-restricted. Unfortunately, the clip with sound is no longer available. I posted one without sound. Hopefully, you’ve seen the movie and or gotten the idea. The visual of this scene is what is funny, not the dialogue.
The above video is restricted because the content has suggestive characteristics.
4. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
One of my favorite Pixar movies is Monsters, Inc, where we watch Mike Wazowski, the green, one-eyed friend of Sulley, take Celia out for a special sushi dinner. We see the exaggerated greetings of sushi chefs upon the monsters entering the restaurant, and Mike’s girlfriend, Celia, is very impressed.
The scene is hilarious because Mike tries to keep it romantic despite the slapstick humor from Sulley, who’s trying to keep the monsters from finding out about Boo, a child forbidden in the monster world.
5. Defending Your Life (1991)
Defending Your Life follows Albert Brooks’ character, Daniel, who dies after getting hit by a bus while driving his brand-new BMW.
He ends up in Judgment City defending his life. Going through the rigors of Judgment, he decides to dine at the sushi bar. I have a clip of the scene below poking fun at the over-the-top hospitality of sushi chefs.
The movie is fun to watch and also stars Meryl Streep. Her character goes through Judgment better than Brooks’ character, the prevailing theme of this deadpan funny film.
6. John Wick 3: Parabellum (2019)
A sushi scene in a John Wick movie fits the production design with vibrant reds and metallic undertones. Of course, Chad Stahelski directs a dark and rainy scene. Though Keanu Reeves is not in this scene, Asia Kate Dillon, playing The Adjudicator, approaches the sushi bar. Here we see how skilled the assassin is at being a sushi chef.
If you know anything about Blowfish, it’s one of the most difficult to prep. True, you only need to cut it. Incorrectly preparing Blowfish releases toxins and could have killed Dillion’s character.
7. Johnny English (2003)
The hilarious Johnny English film series stars Rowan Atkinson in the title role, with Ben Miller and John Malkovich in supporting roles.
It is a parody and tribute to the James Bond franchise and Atkinson’s Mr. Bean character.
Watch this sushi scene and enjoy the bumbling character Atkinson, who is so brilliant at portraying.