Umami

The story does an excellent job at creating a tension and capturing the atmosphere of hectic fast paced, the stress of making sure everything is done correctly, as well as working within the hierarchy of a business while dealing with your own personal problems. The issues that arise from people not doing what they are supposed to be doing or people taking advantage of their positions to mistreat lower employees. Ultimately it tells a cautionary tale about working too hard at the expense of your personal life and relationships.

The performances by the cast was excellent. Everyone played their role well especially Burak Deniz. But the story otherwise was very thin and sometimes boring and I think that could be the product of the one take no cuts model.

The movie is 90% copy of Boiling Point, and a very terrible copy. I didn't even like Boiling Point, but this is whole another level.

Terrible acting and casting. Some performances are cringe-worthy. The dialogues feel artificial, and the script is lazily written. None of the people working in the kitchen actually feel like they belong there. It doesn't look or feel like a real kitchen at all.

With the whole chef and kitchen theme becoming popular thanks to "The Bear", this just feels like a money grab. Definitely not worth your time. It is a terrible copy of an already mediocre movie. Watch The Bear instead.

This is an immersive, one-take film where the camera follows the characters with no cuts. It's also in Turkish so there are subtitles. But don't let that stop you - it's really a fascinating film.

Starts off with a baseline stress level that seems a little higher than normal life due to it being almost time for the dinner crowd at an trendy open-kitchen restaurant. By the end of the film the tension has been turned up to 11, as the saying goes, leading to an abrupt and startling final shot. It's one of those OMG endings.

There were only a few minutes that didn't seem to ring true, mainly having to do with this being a really busy eatery, but for a while no one seems to be cooking and all the stoves seem abandoned. There were also a few times when the place was very busy, yet employees took unnatural amounts to time to deal with things that came up, like a staff member pulling out a first aid kit in full sight of the diners to dress a bloody cut on her finger, and it seems to take her a good 5 minutes just to do this.

So those little details kind of took me out of the story. I don't know that this is a bad thing though because it means the film did a very good job at making me feel immersed in everything that was going on. So much so, that when they did happen, I was literally saying out loud, "Come on, come on, keep it going, people are waiting for their food!

The camera work was excellent. I felt the stress, the heat, the sweat, all the tension, the discomfort of having to observe customers behaving badly, the million and one things going on all at the same time. It drew me in slowly at first, but by the end I was all in.

Due the popularity of The Bear, I'm sure many watchers will draw similarities. As a fan of that tv show, I couldn't help but make a list of them in my head every time I'd notice them - like a bingo card.

You have a man and a woman partnering up to start this restaurant, investors who want their returns, staff on drugs, chef with addiction and parental drama and a sister, lots of tattoos, health department inspectors, people saying "Yes Chef!" in English oddly enough, and so on, you get the idea.

My rating is 7, but I'd give it a 7.5 if that were an option. I really enjoyed it!

"Umami" is a visually rich and well-directed film that captures the intensity of the fine dining world. Burak Deniz delivers a strong performance as a chef balancing ambition and personal struggles. The acting is generally strong, making the characters feel authentic and relatable.

I couldn't help but feel echoes of Boiling Point in the film's tension and single-night setting.

The directing stands out, creating an immersive atmosphere, but some subplots feel underdeveloped, leaving the story slightly lacking. Still, Still, Umami serves up a compelling story with a rich blend of tension, emotion, and culinary artistry.

Umami (2025) has an interesting premise but fails to execute it effectively. The film's biggest flaw lies in its cinematography and storytelling, both of which lack depth. The camera work is disorienting, scene transitions feel unpolished, and the visual composition lacks aesthetic appeal, making the viewing experience somewhat exhausting. The narrative itself feels underdeveloped, with events unfolding in a rushed manner, leaving the audience disconnected from the story. Character development is weak, preventing any real emotional engagement.

The acting is one of the film's few redeeming qualities. The cast does their best, but the weak script and uninspired dialogues limit their ability to truly shine. Despite these shortcomings, the film maintains a certain level of engagement, making it watchable but far from exceptional. With a stronger script and more refined direction, Umami (2025) could have been a much better film. In the end, it's neither outright terrible nor memorable, but it certainly falls below average.