Norwegian Wood

Vietnamese writer and director Tran Anh Hung's fifth feature took him to Japan for the adaptation of the beloved novel by Haruki Murakami. A man reflects on his teenage years in the 60's where a tragedy brings him his first love with the girl-friend of his best friend that marked him for life. Hung's first foray into adaptation proves a perilous one which he barely succeeds giving the novel's intricate story line and characters. The film captures the agony of first love that will resonate with many regardless of its time and location. Beautifully filmed with a solid cast that includes Ken'ichi Matsuyama and Rinko Kikuchi in the leads. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.