True, the film looks gorgeous, but that hardly makes up for the atmosphere of resigned glumness.
There are weighty themes to the story – death and love, the possibility of connection – but Tran’s determinedly contemplative approach, complete with sluggish pacing and intensely internalised performances, ironically only serves to keep the audience at arm’s length from the story’s emotional core.
Murakami's 'unadaptability' for the screen is self-evident to fans of his books, but this is a noble if bleak first stab.
The film's lyricism is unshakeable.
Unless you are a Murakami devotee the stunning visuals are not quite enough to make up for the film’s meandering approach to storytelling.
As well-regarded as the book may be, it is clear that it simply isn’t able to be transferred to the cinema screen with anything approaching dramatic value.
The film comes across as a mere summary of Murakami’s book.
Norwegian Wood ignites its own fierce, moth-attracting flame.
The nostalgic perspective of Murakami's book has been lost, though Matsuyama and Kiko Mizuhara as a vivacious fellow student catch an affecting note of youthful confusion. The glacial pace, on the other hand, will put even sympathetic souls to the test.
With delicate attention to detail and a haunting score by Jonnny Greenwood, each scene evokes a powerful sense of place with palpable passion between the young lovers.
The film keeps us at a distance with dreamy composition that is gorgeous to look at, but not very involving.
A film for lovers of the book and incurable romantics.
Norwegian Wood doesn't quite feel like a real Japanese film, more a French imagining of one.
Norwegian Wood is a languorous, visually striking movie about love and loss, infused with the earnestness of young people struggling with powerful emotions and with evolving ideas about life, death, art, freedom and responsibility.
Rinko Kikuchi: the interview
Tran Anh Hung enters Norwegian Wood--and emerges to tell the tale
Jonny Greenwood: Lights, camera...indie superhero action!
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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