Review of Norwegian Wood (2010) by Andrew T — 10 Sep 2011

Actors and actresses: Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi, Kiko Mizuhara, Kengo Kora,Reika Kirishima.

2 hr. 13 min.

Directed by: Anh Hung Tran.

My ratings: Three stars out of five.

Some say the French-Vietnamese filmmaker Anh-hung Tran's big screen adaptation of Norwegian Wood is languorous, I don't really agree with that. Some suggest Murakami Haruki's bestselling 1987 novel is unfilmable. I expected the movie version of Norwegian Wood would be sad, depressing, boring and tedious art house film with lengthy dialogues. I am glad that the movie is a light adaptation rather that something heavy and depress. Boring and tedious moments are suddenly breaks by explicit dialogues that portray the intimacy between Watanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama) and his girlfriends. Naoko and Midori talks about their wetness or dryness of vagina somehow hilarious. Their contradicting and playful behavior and talks also generate a lot of laughs in the cinema.

I'm surprised to find out that the movie' cinematographer Mark Ping-bin Lee is Taiwanese director Hsiao-hsien Hou's favorite (also of In The Mood for Love). Lee deployed a lot of long tracking shots. I agree those critics suggested the cinematography is visually striking beautiful with good composing and colouring. I can see striking landscapes from a rocky shoreline to wind-swept grasslands. Costume designer Yen Khe Luguern recreate the 1960s fashion with a mix of hip-hugger pants, white Levis, pointed collar shirts, long line and short pleated skirts, sleeveless hostess dresses and bell bottom jeans. Combine with Norifumi Ataka's production design and the hushed but haunting score by Radioheadâ(TM)s Jonny Greenwood, the combination creates the right mood to portray teen angst and erotic tragedy.

I expect to see some nice tits, nipples and some pubic hair in the movie but is all covered up. Furthermore, the sex scenes are shot in a cold and deep blue hue. I bet the filmmakers were not intend to make it pornographic but something artistic. They may believe nudity and the original novel's political backdrop create distractions to the audience. I can see the filmmakers try everything they can to channel us to focus on the characters inner torment, personal and mental melodramas.

Another surprise for me was that I found the actress who plays the mentally depressed Naoko is Rinko Kikuchi, the deaf Japanese school girl who shows her hairy pubic in Babel! When I watch Norwegian Wood, I cannot recognize her and lead me to a question: Should Rinko plays the childlike sexually voracious and confidence Midori? Midori plays my American-Japanese Kiko Mizuhara who use to be a model. Tran may think depressed Naoko needs to be played by Rinko, the more experienced actresses. But in my opinion, the greener actresses Kiko's acting actually gave me more surprises than Rinko.

I agree some critics suggest the plot of this movie is disjointed and lack a good flow. But I think Tran shows he is as good as Peter Jackson in certain extend translating written novels into good movies. Somehow, Tran had achieved the mission impossible. Even though nice tits, nipples and pubic hair are hidden, Tran turned a not deep, sad and melodramatic love novel into a movie that is still entertain to watch, at least.