Gotta say, I’m REALLY glad I read the book before I watched the movie because there ARE so, so many things they left out that the film seemed more like a digest version synopsis of the book. Which I guess in a way, it was.
The one interesting thing was seeing which actors and actresses they got to play the characters Some I liked and some I had a problem with, but it was still fun to see the characters appear onscreen and see how they’ve been “fleshed out”...
Kenichi Matsuyama as Toru
Matsuyama played Toru a bit more quiet and whiny than I’d like but he wasn’t bad. I kept thinking of him in “Don’t Laugh At My Romance” which he played pretty much the same guy.
Rinko Kikuchi as Naoko
I liked Rinko’s portrayal of the flawed Naoko, when she first appeared onscreen, i went, yep, that’s Naoko! Plus she really knew how to bring out the nervous breakdown scenes.
Kiko Mizuhara as Midori
I love Kiko Mizukhara and do think she’s an outgoing person, (and she looks great) but I didn’t much care for her portrayal of Midori, my favorite character from the book. She was supposed to be a charismatic non-stop talking source of brightness for Toru during his down times, but in the movie she seemed just as mopey as him!
Tetsuji Tamayama as Nagasawa
Haha, didn’t even recognize Tesuji Tamayama without his signature scruffy goateee thing. He was a pretty good Nagasawa, easily conveying Nagasawa's arrogant attitude...and he pulled off the 1969 look well!
Reika Kirishima as Reiko Ishida
I was imagining a woman a bit older than beauty Reika Kirishima (the book talks about all Reiko’s “wrinkles” as if she was a lot more mature than then) but I liked how she looked any way. I wish they portrayed her character more like the book, however. The character in the movie was so cold, in the book, she was so warm and friendly.
Eriko Hatsune as Hatsumi
And lastly we have actress Eriko Hatsune playing Nagasawa’s pretty and affluent girlfriend Hatsumi, and I though she was PERFECT! Not only did she match almost exactly what I was imagining, they kept most of her story intact so I was able to see the scenes I liked acted out! Wish I could see more of this actress!
As a lifelong reader of books, I know it’s a cliche to say “the book was better” but in this case I would heartily say to anyone going to watch this to please check out the novel first! you’ll be missing out on so much of the “good” stuff if you don’t!
Up next on my Haruki Murakami Reading Agenda: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle!!!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com