I was debating in the r/ramen subreddit with someone about how terrible the movie "The Ramen Girl" is. Part of the reason I hate it is just how hard it plays into the overly romantic image of "Sure! You can just go to Japan and be welcomed into the community and learn to make ramen without speaking the language! Live Laugh Love!"
For a synopsis, the main character shows up for a two week trip to Tokyo, her boyfriend dumps her, and then she just begs her way into an apprenticeship at a ramen shop.
Anyone who lives here I feel would just laugh at that for many reasons but especially because, uh….
Her visa?
In my head-cannon the happy ending just gets replaced when the immigration police detain her for overstaying her visa, working illegally and then deport her stupid-ass back home.
I like Brittany Murphy as an actress, especially her role as "Luanne" in "King of the Hill" and her untimely death was tragic, but this movie…. everything from the cringey poster to the tagline "The Missing Ingredient is Love…." just drives me up the wall as absolute Hallmark Channel level dreck.
What other portrayals of life here in movies or shows drive you crazy?
by laowaixiabi