Three standout films at Tribeca: the flavorful and intimate Nobu, the fierce and fast-paced Ride or Die, and bold So Far All Good.
Tribeca Film Festival was another successful year! The festival celebrated its 24th year, honoring a diverse range of independent films. Some of the major winners included Charliebird, Happy Birthday, and Natchez, which took top honors. Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn shared the Performance Award for their performances in Dragonfly (for which we had the opportunity to interview Paul Andrew Williams). Here is part one of my recap from the Tribeca Film Festival.
NOBU
One of the most compelling documentaries from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival was Nobu, directed by Matt Tyrnauer. The documentary had its New York Premiere as part of the Spotlight+ selection. Tyrnauer took audiences on a journey to learn more about the culinary legacy of renowned chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa. For Matsuhisa, this is a personal story that demonstrates his impact on the luxury dining experience. The film includes rare archival footage and a deep behind-the-scenes look at the chef who dreamed of becoming a sushi chef. The film explores Matsuhisa’s life from his childhood in Japan to his culinary journey in Peru and Alaska. Audiences see all the ups and downs that helped shape the chef and his career. This film may be a standard documentary, but Tyrnauer does an excellent job making Matsuhisa one of the most fascinating people and incredibly deserving of a documentary. Matsuhisan explains that each piece of sushi must create an exciting element, and with its exquisite presentation, all the food looked delicious. Each dish presented on the screen will make you want to jump into the film and snag a dish. The documentary features his co-founding partner and actor, Robert De Niro, as well as Meir Teper. Even the most notable chefs, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Wolfgang Puck, are featured, and interviews with Matsuhisa’s family are included. Tyrnauer’s film is an intimate look at an interesting chef who has come a long way in his career and has a passion for sushi.
RIDE OR DIE
Josalynn Smith’s Ride or Die is a thrilling queer love story set on a road trip. Smith takes audiences on a journey that follows Paula (Briana Middleton), a Midwesterner who dreams of being a filmmaker and starting anew in California. She runs into her high school crush and classmate, Sloane (Stella Everett). Their reunion begins sweet, but it soon leads to a perilous road trip with unforeseen consequences. Jamie Foxx, one of the producers, helps show that Smith’s directorial debut holds a promising future. Smith’s film, co-written by Alicia Louzoun-Heisler, explores various genres to tell a fast-paced story that’s very engaging. Everett and Middleton spark chemistry, and their performances are good. Everything isn’t just laughs and driving around grabbing fast food from Dunkin and Taco Bell. It all seems like a fantasy, but turns into a dark and brutal ride that even includes a tale of revenge. The themes and messaging could have been stronger as they are not fully explored. The characters do have their flaws, and some may find the character of Sloane unlikable, given the trouble the girls often find themselves in. There is a definite inspiration from Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise (1991), but the film delves a little deeper into LGBTQIA+ elements. The filmmaking style is simple, and while it’s not a remarkable start for Smith, she’s poised for an extraordinary career in the film industry.
SO FAR ALL GOOD
Starting over is never easy. In $eck’s film So Far All Good, audiences go on a fast-paced journey with the main character Ace (Rasan Kuvly), who is fresh out of prison and returns to NYC. His girlfriend left him, he is tight on money, and the city doesn’t feel the same since he was released. The film made its world premiere as part of the US Narrative Competition and presents some creative experimental filmmaking with a runtime of 72 minutes. Unfortunately, not all the creative elements work, including the shaky, jarring cinematography. The cinematography feels like we are meant to get inside the character’s head and understand his thoughts. It looks unpleasant to watch and feels distracting, and it’s sometimes hard to become invested in the story. Kuvly does his best with the leading role, but the script does not do the story justice. Seeing a character start over and see their challenges is always refreshing. However, the character’s development is lacking, and the film fails to provide a reason why we should care about the character. The way the film concludes does not feel complete and feels abrupt. $eck has a unique style, but little to take away after watching So Far All Good.
Explore our coverage of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival here.
