Great Film overall

From my favorite movies..

Don't listen to the negative reviews

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

While I will be the first to admit that "White on Rice" didn't always work, the overall picture is so fresh and quirky that I still recommend it. It's a film from David Boyle--a writer/director/actor who totally captivated me and my wife when we recently saw his "Big Dreams Little Tokyo". Using the barest of budgets, Boyle has managed to once again make a film with characters you just have to love--very, very quirky ones at that.Jimmy is a pathetic Japanese divorcée who has left his country and moved in with his sister's family in the States. Jimmy is nearing 40 and has little to show for himself--not much of a job, no love life and he sleeps in the top bunk of his nephew's bunk-bed! However, when his brother-in-law's niece moves in temporarily, the dopey Jimmy is totally infatuated and soon behaves like an even bigger dope. At times, he is a little creepy--like a stalker--and I wish the film had not made him quite so extreme and creepy here. But, just when it seems to have gone over the top, it fortunately finds its way.Throughout the story, there are LOTS of wonderful characters. The nephew, Bob, is great. So is the Banana Lady and many other folks scattered throughout the film. This is DEFINITELY a film for those who like independent cinema and want a film totally un-Hollywood in style. Well worth seeing despite a few lulls.By the way, that's the director, David Boyle, inside the coffin in the funeral home segment! He's the second body you see and you have to look close for him in his trademark geek glasses. This is a WONDERFUL touch for his fans--as is seeing a poster for "White on Rice" in his previous film, "Big Dreams Little Tokyo"! Cute.

I was fairly disappointed with this movie. I was so excited for a film centered around an Asian American family. However, I didn't really get attached to this movie as much as I hope for. The story line, although strong, doesn't hold my interest. I didn't really care for the main guy, or have much empathy for him or his story.He takes advantage of his family, whether he means to or not. The best character in this whole movie is BOB, the 10-ish year old kid. His character is the comedic relief and is quite charming.This movie has its moments, but I found the Uncle Jimmy to be the bane of my existence, in watching this. Although I didn't like it as much as I thought I would, I don't think it was that horrible of a story.

A remarkable movie about yet another piece of the American mosaic yet it really reminds the viewer of himself and the people in his life."White on Rice" strikes a perfect balance between the interesting and attracting side of cinema and the honest and realistic one.Clean and esthetically made comedy that captures the simple thrills of ordinary peoples lives.Light and fun to watch but also makes you think afterward.It's these combinations that make this movie so worth watching, the current low score it has is unjustified.If you're open minded and unaffected by stereotypes you will really enjoy this movie. Warmly recommended, Eitan

This is a very funny movie. It's sort of the classic coming-of-age story, except it's about a guy who turns 40 during the course of the movie. Jimmy is just like a ten year old kid and totally oblivious to the fact that there's anything wrong with that. He goes through the movie wreaking havoc on his long suffering brother-in-law who just wants to get his marriage back to something normal. I saw this at the LA Asian Film Festival and the audience ate it up. I'm not Asian (my fiancée is Korean and worked for the fest and recommended it), I suspect there's a lot of humor here that is even more funny to Japanese people. Very funny to me was Jimmy's nephew Bob, who's as mature as Jimmy is childlike. A lot of great performances by the smaller parts. One in particular is The Banana Girl (Joy Osmanski) who you should definitely look for in other things because she really lit up the screen. I don't know if this will ever come to the local multiplex, but you should definitely hunt it down. Well worth the effort.