Film Review: ‘Norwegian Wood’ Marred By Choppy Editing, Mopey Melodrama

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CHICAGO – Tran Anh Hung’s adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s 1987 novel has garnered a bevy of negative reactions from literary fans, and it’s easy to see why. Pivotal characters remain underdeveloped despite the film’s two-hour-plus running time. Grand gestures are made without any tangible motivation. And epic romances are explored only through a few lustful glances.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

With that being said, “Norwegian Wood” is still worth a look, primarily because the attractive young cast manages to transcend the heavy-handed script. Kenichi Matsuyama is somewhat of a wooden leading man, but he’s greatly aided by two leading ladies that bring out the best in him. “Babel” star Rinko Kikuchi once again delves into the wounded soul of a woman who’s lost the ability to connect with the outside world, while 21-year-old newcomer Kiko Mizuhara proves to be a real find.

Read Matt Fagerholm’s full review of “Norwegian Wood” in our reviews section.

Together, these three fresh-faced performers create a handful of beautifully raw and infectiously sensual moments that nearly make up for the plot’s gaping chasms. There are times when the editing is so spotty (particularly during the first third) that it seems as if large sections of the film were extracted altogether. Kenneth Lonergan’s similarly fractured “Margaret” suffered staggering cuts, yet they ended up strangely enhancing the film’s portrayal of its adolescent heroine’s confused psyche and volatile mood swings. “Norwegian Wood” also centers on hormonal teens adrift in society, but the fragmented pacing appears to be more a result of narrative clumsiness. Whenever the film doesn’t have the time to adequately tackle the entirety of a subplot, Matsuyama is required to recite banal exposition in jarring voice-overs. It suggests that the film should’ve run at least three hours, but the story is such a simple one to tell. The real problem may lie in the writer/director’s inability to cut extraneous story threads in favor of fully concentrating on his three principles. Without understanding the characters’ past, it’s difficult to emotionally invest in the picture’s central love story.

Continue reading for Matt Fagerholm’s full “Norwegian Wood” review.

Kenichi Matsuyama and Rinko Kikuchi star in Tran Anh Hung’s Norwegian Wood.
Photo credit: Red Flag Releasing