Norwegian Wood

Norwegian Wood 

Year - 2010
Director - Tran Anh Hung

I think, like most people who have read Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood, I approached this film with high hopes and low expectations. How can such a novel be adapted? but more importantly, will the transition from page to screen be any good?...

Well, Norwegian Wood isn't a terrible film but it's definitely not an adequate adaptation. Those who haven't read the novel will find the film confusing and extremely bare. Those who have read it can fill in the gaps but will be disappointed in having to do so. This is a huge problem with all novel adaptation, 2 hours is not enough time to convey a 400 page novel. Especially when the novel in question has been hailed as one of the greatest pieces of modern Japanese literature. But before I get into my gripes let me explain the plot.

Norwegian Wood is set in the late 1960s and revolves around university student Toru Watanabe (played by Ken'ichi Matsuyama). After the unexpected suicide of his best friend, Kizuki, Watanabe decides to move away from his home town and attend a university in Tokyo hoping to start a new life. Watanabe starts to read a lot and spends his spare time working various part time jobs. One day, whilst enjoying a book in the sun Watanabe happens by chance to run into Naoko (played brilliantly by Rinko Kikuchi), Kizuki's ex-girlfriend. Watanabe and Naoko haven't seen each other since the death of Kizuki and Watanabe's departure and the couple soon become close. They never speak of Kizuki's death but the loss and experience draws them ever closer as they continue to spend more and more time together. On Naoko's 20th birthday the couple sleep together. We find out that it is Naoko's first time. Watanabe is surprised at this and asks her why she never slept with Kizuki. After this comment Naoko becomes upset and the following day she gives up her apartment and leaves Tokyo without a word to Watanabe. This upsets Watanabe a great deal as he has come to care greatly for Naoko. Finally, after months without hearing anything Naoko sends him a letter. She explains that she has been staying at a remote sanitarium, deep in the woods. She hopes that staying there will help her to control and understand her unstable emotions and feelings of loss. Watanabe visits Naoko on several occasions and makes his feelings for her very clear. Naoko unfortunately cannot return his love as her condition is worsening. During this time Watanabe also meets fellow student Midori (Kiko Mizuhara). Midori is the anti-Naoko. She is out going, funny, self-confident and isn't ashamed to let her true feelings for Watanabe known. The film then explores Watanabe's own feelings and how he is torn between the two
women in his life.

All of the elements that made the novel a masterpiece seem to be present in the film yet the film skips and rushes to many important details and dwindles too long on unimportant aspects. One example in particular is Midori's character. In the novel she was as predominate as Naoko in Watanabe's life. This created the conflict and confusion inside Watanabe's mind as he tried to helplessly decide which of the two relationships he wanted. She was a great character and the couple had some truly amazing scenes together but alas that is not the case in this film. Midori's screen time is so limited she has gone from major love interest and plot driver to a bit of fluff Watanabe hangs out with when he's not visiting or moaning over Naoko. To be honest I don't understand why Midori even falls in love with Watanabe, they only spend a few scenes together and in most of those scenes he somehow manages to piss her off or blabs about his love for Naoko. Not the greatest qualities in a man. Its not just Midori's character that suffers. Watanabe is portrayed as a dull, boring and emotionless teenager (eventhough Matsuyama looks much older than 19). His only hint of true emotion comes toward the end of the film and it's not acted so well. In the novel Watanabe was a drama student and an intellectual who was interested in Western literature. There is absolutely no mention or evidence of this in the film. Half the time I forgot he was at University seeing as he spent so little time there. In fact, the only character true to the novel and interesting in this adaption is Naoko. Kikuchi does an outstanding job at playing the emotionally and mentally troubled teenager. If it wasn't for her I don't think I would have sat through the entire film. She really does hold the whole thing together. Ok, enough of the comparisons and negativity.

There are some things to like in Norwegian Wood. It looks stunning. Cinematographer Mark Lee Ping Bin has done a spectacular job at capturing the 60s colour palette. Often colours are subdued and warm, saturated and bleached. Each scene is coloured to perfectly convey the mood. Often the characters in a scene will have no or little dialogue but the cinematography speaks volumes. The music is also superb. Norwegian Wood has a varied soundtrack ranging from haunting orchestral pieces (composed by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood) to 1960s psychedelic rock Overall, not unwatchable.

If you have read the book you'll probably be disappointed and if you haven't read it you'll have no idea what's going on. You should just go out and buy the book. It's vastly superior and cheaper.