Norwegian Wood Film Review

Norwegian Wood is a Japanese subtitled film based on the novel of the same name by Haruki Murakami and is essentially a love story, albeit a tragic one.  Set in the 60's this film depicts the tale of a boy who's best friend inexplicably commits suicide leaving behind his long term closest friend and girlfriend, Naoko. Searching for a way out the protagonist, Watanabe, goes to university in Tokyo and encounters Naoko in a chance meeting and gradually their feelings grow even if all is not well within her troubled mind. After her twentieth birthday she commits herself to a mental health institution and Watanabe meets the charming and confident Midori and the rest of the narrative is his love of the two polar opposite women.

I loved this film. It's beautifully shot allowing the landscape to weave it's way into the narrative and express the various emotions portrayed within which are intensely performed by all the actors. However for all it's sweeping shots this film is incredibly claustrophobic. You are never introduced to any people or places that are of no importance to the few main characters and the film stays tight to them throughout showing their small insular group that orbits around the extreme loves that has both disastrous and perfect repercussions.
Sound has also been used expertly within Norwegian Wood. For example the silence within the film is often stifling and creates an atmosphere of intensity, so much so that you almost feel uncomfortable watching parts of it as it is so personal. Then there's the music. Scored by Jonny Greenwood, from Radiohead, it's no surprise that it's exquisitely beautiful. It perfectly fits the film and accentuates each emotion and plot development.

To describe this film in one word I would say beautiful; it's a veritable feast for your eyes and ears. I would definitely recommend this film but maybe not for everybody, if you enjoy slow films about the power of emotions there's none better but if you like past paced easy watching films then it's not for you. It's a real shame that it has only been released in a minority of cinemas because it deserves to be seen by many more people.