Highly anticipated by all who treasure its source material Haruki Murakami’s classic 1987 novel Norwegian Wood’s undeniable aesthetic beauty is sadly diluted by an underwhelming treatment of its main themes. Perhaps director Anh Hung Tran has tried too hard to translate Murakami’s most accessible, only surrealism-free book with a reverence that might well please the author but compromises the project in other ways.
The novel painted a devastating portrait of the loss and powerlessness that only an instinctive filmmkaer, tapping into the book’s deep emtional vein, could hope to do it justice. When university student Watanabe’s (Kenichi Matsuyama) best friend commits suicide, the man’s bereaved girlfriend, Naoko (Rinko Kikuchi) seeks solace in his arms. Against a backdrop of student unrest, a connection between them ignites a passionate consummation. But Naoko is sucked into a whirlpool of complicated, anguished emotions which causes her to flee, leaving Watanabe behind, blindsided and confused, unable to soothe the psychological wounds of the woman he loves.
He picks up the pieces and soon meets another woman he has a strong connection with in Midori (Kiko Mizuhara). But nothing can erase Naoko from his thoughts. He writes to her but gets no response. Months later she finally makes contact, writing to him from a faraway retreat where she is receiving a form of unorthodox counselling for her psychological ailments. He visits her occasionally but her progress is tainted by futher regressions.
Despite the problems I had with this including overlength there’s still plenty to admire about it, including plenty of scenes that achieve a serene beauty. Many in which Tran very effectively employs of Johnny Greenwood’s score, stand out. Though in a less than wise musical choice, the 3 lame songs by Can, I could definitely have done without.
Norwegian Wood (2011) aspires to greatness, but in treating the source material with worshipful kid gloves, Tran has produced a middling work that too often feels tepid and extraneous. Although it does capture the debilitating melancholy tone of the novel in select passages, it never fully coheres making it feel like a wasted opportunity.
For more movies like Norwegian wood (2010) visit Hurawatch.
Also watch: