On his final night alive, ramen chef Timmy Lee (Bobby Lee) goes on an unintended late-night odyssey with the Grim Reaper (Matt Jones). They share a bowl of noodles and discover what it means to be human.
“Death and Ramen” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
Overall, “Death and Ramen” serves itself nicely as a really intriguing short with a lot to like about it. The central premise from director Ji is appropriately goofy and silly, with the accidental meeting between the two and how that leads to Timmy's obsession over preparing the perfect meal. This serves to introduce the few bits of comedic slapstick involving the desperation to escape from Death's grip, as the two engage in a slight but energetic battle to help the reality of what happened to Timmy sink in, as what's going on prepares him for the second half that drives the journey into the existential crisis that the rest of the short focuses on.
However, that serves to be the one lone element that stands out in “Death and Ramen” where it remains a bit confusing about the nature of their interactions. The humanizing of the Grim Reaper who works in a corporate bent involving the bureaucracy that exists in his work and the unionizing of the job, are played for jokes but not much about them is known so it falls a bit flat. As well, the whiplash here involving the constantly changing tones, from comedic interactions and sight-gags to tear-jerking sadness involving the revelation of what the final meal is really about makes for an odd combination to play out in such a short manner as this.
Regardless of that, though, the fact that Ji is able to pull off these emotionally charged elements successfully is a more important factor to the success of the short that is matched quite nicely with the success of the duo at the center of the film. Lee and Jones are fantastic to watch throughout here, as they share just about the entire time together, which allows this to build properly due to the relationship that grows between them. This all makes for a genuinely pleasant time that signals Ji as a talent to watch for in the future.
