The Japanese foodie movie is an offshoot of the gurume (gourmet) boom of the 1980s bubble years. Back then, urban trendies began exploring the farther reaches of French cuisine, expense be damned — or as Juzo Itami's seminal foodie movie "Tampopo" (1985) comically examined, obsessing over the perfect bowl of ramen.
In recent years, the foodie movie has truly come into its own as a local subgenre, with the list including last year's "Soup Opera" and "Shokudo Katatsumuri (Rinco's Restaurant)," as well as the 2009 "Nonchan Noriben (Noriben — The Recipe for Fortune)," the 2008 "Shiawase no Kaori (Flavor of Happiness)" and the film that started the current boomlet, Naoko Ogigami's 2006 "Kamome Shokudo (Kamome Diner)." All feature heroines who find their raison d'e^tre in the kitchen, whether or not they make their living as cooks. All show shot after scrumptious shot of food, usually of the soul-satisfying rather than the haute cuisine variety.
Yoshihiro Fukagawa's "Yogashiten Koan do Ru (Patisserie Coin de Rue)" is the latest in this quickly lengthening cinematic buffet line — and checks off all of its cliches, which may be just fine if you think of the foodie movie the way you think of, say, your favorite soba place. Tasty once, tasty twice, no? In my case, no.