Nobu

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2:30

Nobu

2025

1h 50m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

55%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Nobu examines culinary legend Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's empire, offering an intimate portrait of a man who has redefined global gastronomy alongside his business partners Robert De Niro and Meir Teper. The film grants unprecedented access into Nobu's world, revealing the alchemy and precision behind his signature dishes, and the inspirations behind his innovations that revolutionized tradition-bound Japanese cuisine.

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Siddhant Adlakha

Variety

Jul 8

The movie often brushes past what might have been its most intriguing moments in favor of an unobtrusive hagiography. It approaches dramatic rigor and visual intrigue in only the briefest of scenes, often far too late into its runtime.

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Joshua Rothkopf

Los Angeles Times

Jul 7

The kind of doc that “Nobu” more often resembles (as do most foodie-targeted profiles) is a gentle chronology of a humble genius and everyday guy who just happens to fly private.

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David Ehrlich

IndieWire

Jun 26

C+

Matt Tyrnauer’s “Nobu” is such a fawning portrait of Nobu Matsuhisa that it feels like it should only be available to watch on a DVD sold at the gift shops in the restaurateur’s hotels.

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Alexander Miller

MovieJawn

Aug 19

Does your subject need to be a polarizing figure for your documentary to work? Not at all. However, it feels like the lack of conflict undermines the potential for a valuable viewing experience; the result is tonally inconsistent and overlong.

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Bill Cooper

Spectrum Culture

Jul 1

Despite a tonally off-putting ending, this documentary presents an intriguing tale of a family man going after his dreams.

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Julian Roman

MovieWeb

Jun 26

3.5/5

Nobu's unfiltered access paints a fascinating portrait of the celebrity chef and his longtime business partner Robert De Niro. A journey that vacillates between a hardscrabble upbringing, incredible food, and searing emotional retrospectives.

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Peter B

@movieguy382 Aug 6

Really interesting look into a fascinating character. I didn't really know much about Nobu before seeing the movie, but he is really interesting. What he has gone through and how he has found success as a Chef and a businessman I found to be really amazing. Really enjoyed the movie and how we feel like we are a fly on the wall while he is managing the restaurant and interacting with his customers. Great doc!

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Moody C

@MoodyC Jul 2

A very well told story of origin of Nobu restaurants and the man behind it. I must admit, I miss Nobu when it was one location in Tribeca, NY because the chain is just not the same despite quality controls depicted in documentary. Doc is more enjoyable than expected since initial reviews mostly negative but gotta give the man his dues. This is not mere over glorification as critics claim since even Wolfgang Puck and Jean Georges endorse him as one of pioneers of Japanese fusion with latter admitting he stole one of Nobu’s dishes for one of his restaurant. I will admit since current state of his chain is not as great as he claims that this is a bit of marketing to polish his name but if an informercial can entertain me and make me laugh for full 2 hours which it did, I’m not gonna complain.

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Matt Tyrnauer

Director

Nobu Matsuhisa

Self

Matt Tyrnauer

Producer

Gianni Nunnari

Producer

Corey Reeser

Producer

Jeffrey Soros

Producer

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Nobu: Trailer 1

2:30

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Synopsis

Nobu examines culinary legend Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's empire, offering an intimate portrait of a man who has redefined global gastronomy alongside his business partners Robert De Niro and Meir Teper. The film grants unprecedented access into Nobu's world, revealing the alchemy and precision behind his signature dishes, and the inspirations behind his innovations that revolutionized tradition-bound Japanese cuisine.

Director: Matt Tyrnauer
Producer: Matt Tyrnauer, Gianni Nunnari, Corey Reeser, Jeffrey Soros, Simon Horsman, Charlie Cohen, Andrea Lewis, Graham High
Distributor: Vertical
Production Co: AGC Television, Altimeter Films, Warner Music Entertainment, Levels Audio Post, Hollywood Gang Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 27, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 50m

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