This is a nice lighthearted movie. I am not a fan of Brittany and I didn’t realize she was the main character in this film…I just played this instantly from my Netflix queue…so once I saw she was in it I was ready to turn it off. I think if her part would have been played by a more seasoned/accomplished actress it would have been a real keeper. I did however enjoy the acting of all the other characters.

I agree with TajLV’s comment, too much was edited out. They could have left in more heart as they kept preaching about throughout the film. It was a nice light break from the typical Hollywood movie.

If the Karate Kid were a girl…. This was much better than I had anticipated. It took me right back to Tokyo. The noodle shop and the characters there are completely believable, just slightly exaggerated for effect. Toshiyuki Nishida plays the ramen chef beautifully. Brittany Murphy can barely keep up with his powerful acting. Loved the use of rain, cigarettes, booze as bonding materials. Lots of attention to detail.

I strongly recommend watching the deleted scenes to get the full effect. I am so glad that director Robert Ackerman decided to cut the scenes related to kendo training. But there was a little too much cutting. The side story of Gretchen is lost in the theatrical version, as is the gay relationship of her British friend and life in the law office. The alternate ending also gives more insight to the appeal and mysterious power of ramen, as does the Cup Noodle scene that was deleted. In fact, many of the actors in the credits were not in the final cut. This film cries out for an uncut director’s edition.

A little, just a little more. Maybe it was the subtitles and foreign cultural references that give this feather weight film a little more “ooomph”, but still, it’s a Brittany Murphy movie that fans of the actress and the light romantic comedy genre will enjoy. There is a bit of character development, but don’t look for deep meaning in this film. It’s just something to enjoy and then just as easily forget about like silk flowing over the surface of a stream; pleasant, but no real lasting value.