Review of Norwegian Wood (2010) by Michael H — 18 Jul 2011

A good adaptation of one of Haruki Murakami's more straight forward novels. The version I saw had some very poorly written subtitles that often failed to communicate even basic meaning in English, yet the film manages to retain most of the novel's dense feeling through sensitive, subtle performances (Naoku and Midori in particular are spot-on) and poetic imagery that is both gorgeous and doesn't insist upon itself. The realization of the novel's finale (the sequences with Toru & Reiko) is mostly a misfire, but the remainder of the film is a heartbreaking work adapted from a book of staggering genius.

Four stars, with the rating pending as I wish to see it again with better subtitles, assuming that the damn thing ever is officially released somewhere in the U.S. other than Seattle.