Death has always been a strongly foreboding presence in film. Their head is usually shrouded, or we might see their face at all. The mysteriousness of them always spooks us. What if Death, though, was a bit more open-minded, and down to try a happening ramen spot? In Tiger Ji’s unexpectedly touching short, Death and Ramen, one hopeless man asks Death for just a few more moments to spice up his life.
Bobby Lee plays Timmy, a ramen chef who downs a fistful of Ambien within the first seconds of Ji’s films. Timmy then scarfs down a hefty bowl of ramen before collapsing on his kitchen table, and Death begins to carry him away….before Timmy wakes back up. After Timmy vomits the meal he just ate, he asks Death for more time. ‘I can’t die on an empty stomach,” he pleads. After Timmy promises that Death will have a divine meal, off they go.
Death is a lot like Santa Claus, it turns out, as he explains to Timmy that the business is much more corporate than you think it is. Matt Jones isn’t as much of an intimidating Death as he is a friendly stoner type. He listens more than you think he would, and he definitely likes a good pasta rec. Bobby Lee is an actor that doesn’t get enough credit. Because of his bubbly, easy laugh and wide grin, he rarely gets a chance to perform in anything that requires a lot of heft. With Ji’s guidance, he plays a man who is ready to be set free. There is a heaviness in his face that connects with his sunken posture. He has a scene towards the end of the film about saying goodbye and letting go that is touching for how Lee trusts the material.
Ji’s film is a new kind of comedy about the acceptance of Death. Who knows, maybe this is his attitude, and he is a more forgiving and flexible dude. We could all use a little grace even if it’s right at the end.
Death and Ramen is available to stream below.
