Tampopo is a weird kind of farcical or satirical comedy that certainly has a strange combination of elements that don't necessarily all go together. I'm convinced if the film could have locked in on the main storyline and explored the mission to make the titular character a master of ramen, I would have adored this movie. That entire plot had just the right amount of silliness, but still remained focused on character growth and a clear end goal. I thought it was fun how they took the making of the perfect ramen so seriously, and there was a nearly religious experience each time they actually tasted the food. I must admit it made me more than a little hungry, and I wish there was a good Japanese restaurant of this type in my area. I also loved all the strange characters that Tampopo and Gun would meet on their mission. Each one had a distinct and funny personality that I found humorous.

The problem with Tampopo is that it gets sidetracked frequently with a very odd couple that seem to have a more sexual relationship with food and it was out of place and weird. The way the film would detour to these people (and a few other minor stories that were isolated from the main plot) reminded me a little of a Monty Python movie, except this time I was the one shouting "get on with it!" It was certainly strange and mildly humorous, but it didn't click with me in the same way I was enjoying the ramen restaurant. I also had a very minor problem with the way the character of Tampopo was forced to rely on the men so much. I was tolerating it for a long time but there is one moment close to when they open that I would have preferred she figure something out herself and prove that she had grown past needing the help of the men. Still, Tampopo is a fine film with an engaging plot, it's just a bit too surreal at some points to completely win me over.