Sushi Girl

Last updated
Sushi Girl
SushiGirl poster.jpg
Promotional poster for Sushi Girl
Directed byKern Saxton
Screenplay by Destin Pfaff
Kern Saxton
Produced byNeal Fischer
Destin Pfaff
Kern Saxton
Suren M. Seron
Starring Tony Todd
Noah Hathaway
James Duval
Andy Mackenzie
Mark Hamill
Cortney Palm
Sonny Chiba
CinematographyAaron Meister
Edited byKern Saxton
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures via Magnet Releasing [1]
Gryphon Entertainment [2]
Release date
  • June 21, 2012 (2012-06-21)(Canada)
Running time
98 min
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$750,000 (estimated)

Sushi Girl is an American crime film directed by Kern Saxton and starring Tony Todd, Mark Hamill, Noah Hathaway, Sonny Chiba and Cortney Palm. Tony Todd also served as an executive producer. It premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre [3] played in several festivals and was then released directly to home media in 2012. [4]

Contents

Plot

Fish (Noah Hathaway) has been recently released from prison where he was serving time for his part in a diamond heist. He refused to give the authorities any information on his partners in crime nor reveal to them the location of the stolen diamonds. In order to locate and divide the stolen diamonds, crime boss Duke (Tony Todd) invited Fish to dinner along with the rest of the gang, including his closest ally Crow (Mark Hamill), Max (Andy Mackenzie) and Francis (James Duval). The meal is sushi, served on the naked body of a woman, the titular Sushi Girl (Cortney Palm), who must remain motionless and silent for the duration of the meal.

When Fish tells the others that he doesn't have the diamonds, they do not believe him. He is tied up, with Max and Crow taking turns torturing him. Duke instructs Francis to take a turn as well, but he refuses. Francis goes to the bathroom and it is revealed to the camera that he is wearing a listening device. The sequences of torture are intercut with flashbacks to the heist, culminating in the gang being run off the road by another car, with Duke shooting the driver in order to escape. Eventually Max loses control and begins to beat Fish, killing him.

Max, Crow and Duke begin to argue about who was responsible for Fish's death. Francis comes back from the bathroom, and wants to leave, accusing Duke of arranging this dinner in order to kill them all, and thus wrap up loose ends. Duke, in turn, accuses Francis of being a spy for the police. The others demand that Francis unbutton his shirt and prove that he is not wearing a wire. Francis responds by insulting Duke and taunting Max. Max finally loses control and assaults Francis, tearing open his shirt, thus revealing that there is no listening device. Despite this, Francis is shot by Duke.

After more arguing the remaining three eventually draw their guns on one another and shooting breaks out. Only Duke survives. He returns to the Sushi Girl, who has remained silent and motionless all this time. Duke tells her that she is to be his 'consolation prize'. He eats a piece of fugu from her body and promptly succumbs to paralysis, whereupon she sits upright and tells him the fugu was purposely prepared leaving the toxins intact. A final flashback reveals that she was present at the heist's aftermath; it was her husband whom Duke shot, and she who recovered the diamonds after the bag was ripped open. She explains that she used her newfound riches to arrange this night and take her revenge upon the gang, and then she shoots Duke fatally and departs.

Cast

Release

The production team behind Sushi Girl raised the money for the world premiere via crowdfunding site Kickstarter [5] and the film debuted at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 27, 2012. [3] The film has been played at a range of festivals, including Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival in 2012 [6] and Melbourne's Supanova Pop Culture Expo in 2013. [7] The film enjoyed a limited theatrical run in February 2013 following its VOD premiere in November 2012, and has subsequently been released on DVD, Blu-ray and digital platforms.

Reception

Sushi Girl has received mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 57% of 7 critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 5.9/10. [8] Variety stated that "Sushi Girl makes a strong impression with a lurid, finely twisted plot, but its excessive cruelty leaves a foul aftertaste," [9] and the Toronto Star gave it two stars out of four and described it as being overly derivative of the work of Quentin Tarantino. [10] Film Threat was more forgiving, likewise identifying it as being derivative but stating that due to "the power of great performances, Sushi Girl had me hooked from beginning to end, and I can’t wait to see it again." [11] HorrorMovies.ca's review praised the film's style, calling particular attention to the torture scenes, which it called "memorable." [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sushi</span> Japanese dish of vinegared rice and usually seafood

Sushi is a Japanese dish of prepared vinegared rice, usually with some sugar and salt, plus a variety of ingredients, such as vegetables, and any meat, but most commonly seafood. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice", also referred to as shari (しゃり), or sumeshi (酢飯).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patti LuPone</span> American actress and singer

Patti Ann LuPone is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. After starting her professional career with The Acting Company in 1972 she soon gained acclaim for her leading performances on the Broadway and West End stage. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, and two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Hathaway</span> American actress (born 1982)

Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. Her accolades include an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Her films have grossed over $6.8 billion worldwide, and she appeared on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list in 2009. She was among the world's highest-paid actresses in 2015.

<i>Snatch</i> (film) 2000 movie by Guy Ritchie

Snatch is a 2000 crime comedy film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, featuring an ensemble cast. Set in the London criminal underworld, the film contains two intertwined plots: one dealing with the search for a stolen diamond, the other with a small-time boxing promoter who finds himself under the thumb of a ruthless gangster who is ready and willing to have his subordinates carry out severe and sadistic acts of violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah Hathaway</span> American actor and a former teen idol (born 1971)

Noah Leslie Hathaway is an American actor and a former teen idol. He is best known for his roles as Atreyu in the 1984 film The NeverEnding Story and for portraying Boxey on the original television series Battlestar Galactica. His work in The NeverEnding Story made him particularly popular as a teen idol in Europe.

<i>After the Sunset</i> 2004 film

After the Sunset is a 2004 American heist action comedy film directed by Brett Ratner and starring Pierce Brosnan as Max Burdett, a master thief caught in a pursuit with FBI agent Stan Lloyd, played by Woody Harrelson. It was shot in the Bahamas. The film was met with negative reviews and flopped at the box office.

Arcana Studio is a Canadian animation studio in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Founded as a comic book publisher by former Coquitlam, British Columbia school teacher Sean O'Reilly in 2004, it opened an animation division in 2012.

<i>Nevada Smith</i> 1966 film by Henry Hathaway

Nevada Smith is a 1966 American Western film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy and Suzanne Pleshette. The film was made by Solar Productions in association with and released by Paramount Pictures. It was McQueen's first theatrical Western, five years after his TV series, Wanted Dead or Alive, ended.

<i>Hoodwinked!</i> 2005 animated film

Hoodwinked! is a 2005 American animated mystery comedy film. It retells the folktale "Little Red Riding Hood" as a police procedural, using backstories to show multiple characters' points of view. It was produced independently by Blue Yonder Films with Kanbar Entertainment, directed and written by Cory Edwards along with Todd Edwards, and Tony Leech, and produced by Katie Hooten, Maurice Kanbar, David K. Lovegren, Sue Bea Montgomery, and Preston Stutzman. The film features the voices of Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, Jim Belushi, Patrick Warburton, Anthony Anderson, David Ogden Stiers, Xzibit, Chazz Palminteri, and Andy Dick.

"University" is the 32nd episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the sixth of the show's third season. The teleplay was written by Terence Winter and Salvatore J. Stabile from a story idea by David Chase, Terence Winter, Todd A. Kessler, Robin Green, and Mitchell Burgess. It was directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on April 1, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto After Dark Film Festival</span> Film festival

Toronto After Dark Film Festival is a showcase of horror, sci-fi, action and cult cinema held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The festival premieres a diverse selection of feature-length and short-films from around the world including new works from Asia, Europe and North America.

<i>The Notebook</i> 2004 American romantic drama film by Nick Cassavetes

The Notebook is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes, from a screenplay by Jeremy Leven and Jan Sardi, and based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love in the 1940s. Their story is read from a notebook in the present day by an elderly man, telling the tale to a fellow nursing home resident.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Hamill</span> American actor (born 1951)

Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, beginning with the original 1977 film and continuing with The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), and The Last Jedi (2017).

<i>Jewel Robbery</i> 1932 film

Jewel Robbery is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy heist film, directed by William Dieterle and starring William Powell and Kay Francis. It is based on the 1931 Hungarian play Ékszerrablás a Váci-utcában by Ladislas Fodor and its subsequent English adaptation, Jewel Robbery by Bertram Bloch.

<i>Les Misérables</i> (2012 film) Epic period musical film

Les Misérables is a 2012 epic period musical film directed by Tom Hooper from a screenplay by William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, and Herbert Kretzmer, based on the stage musical of the same name by Schönberg, Boublil, and Jean-Marc Natel, which in turn is based on the 1862 novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen, with Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit, and Daniel Huttlestone in supporting roles.

<i>Oceans 8</i> 2018 heist film by Gary Ross

Ocean's Eight is a 2018 American heist comedy film directed by Gary Ross and written by Olivia and Ross Milch. The film is both a spin-off from Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's series, and the fourth installment thereof. The film features an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter. The film follows a group of women led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, who plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Amy Hathaway is an American former actress. She first came to prominence as a teenaged actor, playing the role of Shelby Haskell in seasons two and three of My Two Dads (1989–90). She had major co-starring roles in the TV movie Last Exit to Earth (1996) and the feature film Joyride (1997). Her last television role was in a 2009 episode of The Closer, and her last film was a lead role in Gemini Rising (2013).

<i>After</i> (2019 film) 2019 American film

After is a 2019 American romantic drama film directed by Jenny Gage, who co-wrote the screenplay with Susan McMartin, Tamara Chestna, and Tom Betterton, based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Anna Todd. It is the first installment in the After film series. The film stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Josephine Langford and follows a young woman who begins to romance a mysterious student during her first months of college. The cast includes Selma Blair, Inanna Sarkis, Shane Paul McGhie, Pia Mia, Khadijha Red Thunder, Dylan Arnold, Samuel Larsen, Jennifer Beals and Peter Gallagher in supporting roles.

<i>The Pale Door</i> 2020 film

The Pale Door is a 2020 American horror Western film directed by Aaron B. Koontz and written by Cameron Burns, Keith Lansdale, and Koontz, with Joe R. Lansdale as executive producer. It stars Devin Druid, Zachary Knighton, Melora Walters, Bill Sage, Pat Healy, Stan Shaw, Natasha Bassett, Noah Segan, and Tina Parker.

<i>Locked Down</i> (film) 2021 film by Doug Liman

Locked Down is a 2021 American romantic comedy heist film directed by Doug Liman and written by Steven Knight. The film stars Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor, with Stephen Merchant, Mindy Kaling, Lucy Boynton, Mark Gatiss, Claes Bang, Ben Stiller, and Ben Kingsley in supporting roles.

References

  1. "Sushi Girl (Official Movie Site) - Starring Tony Todd, James Duval, Noah Hathaway, Andy Mackenzie, David Dastmalchian, Destin Pfaff, Kern Saxtonand and Mark Hamill - Available on DVD and Blu-ray™ - Trailers, Pictures & More". magnetreleasing.com. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  2. Sushi Girl information at Gryphon Entertainment
  3. 1 2 TCL Chinese Theatre Premieres - 2012 Archive
  4. Sushi Girl at IMDb.com
  5. Sushi Girl World Premiere Kickstarter
  6. Fantasia Accounts Its First Waves of 2012 Programming, accessed April 30, 2013
  7. SUSHI GIRL Cast & Crew Slicing and Dicing at Supanova this April!, accessed April 30, 2013
  8. "Sushi Girl". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved October 9, 2021. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  9. Maggie Lee (August 12, 2012) Review: “Sushi Girl”, Variety, accessed May 1, 2013
  10. Rob Salem (Dec 6, 2012) "Sushi Girl review: Tortured Tarantino", Toronto Star, accessed April 29, 2013
  11. Mark Bell (August 8, 2012) Sushi Girl review, Film Threat, accessed April 29, 2013
  12. Simon Rother (July 2012) Sushi Girl Movie Review, HorrorMovies.ca, accessed May 1, 2013