NORWEGIAN WOOD (M), shot in Japan and set in the 1960’s is a lyrical, contemplative story of a young man who seems to be the trois in a myriad of ménages.

In the beginning, Toru, is best friends with Kizuki and his girlfriend, Naoko. When Kizuki kills himself, Toru and Naoko seek to console themselves, but when they consummate their succour serving sex, Naoko has a nervous breakdown, which gets her away to a sanatorium seeking solace in hermitage.

Meanwhile, sunny, confident Midori, a fellow student of Toru, flirts, courts and seduces the bewildered bloke, his response to her overtures overshadowed by his feeling of responsibility to Naoko.

Simultaneously, he is the mediating meat in the sandwich between his rakish mate, ironically a student of diplomacy, and the rake’s gullibly tolerant squeeze.

Consequently, Toru is invited to a horizontal tango with Naoko’s carer who likes to pluck the strains of The Beatles’ Norwegian Wood on her folksy guitar as a form of foreplay.

Based on Haruki Murakami’s novel of the same name, the film adaptation is by Vietnamese director Anh Hung Tran, creator of THE SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA and CYCLO, who has summoned a somnambulant sense to Toru’s journey. To paraphrase Lennon and McCartney, “And when he awoke, he was alone, these birds had flown, isn’t it good, Norwegian wood.”

Yes, it is good, NORWEGIEN WOOD. `

Richard Cotter

29th September, 2011