This film is a perfect gift for Haruki Murakami's fans in that the director's own reinterpretation is adequately melted at a level that does not undermine the originality of Haruki Murakami's debut novel.
Haruki's novel was attractive in that it express empty wanderings and worries of young people in a concise writing style, and this film fully expressed that charm.
Like the short style of a novel, the film consists of short breath cuts, and the appropriate use of intertitles in the middle, maintains the sensibility as if reading a novel.
And the director's reinterpretation was really good. For example, a friend with the nickname "Rat" writes a novel in the original work, but in the movie, it is changed as making a movie. And It is screened to protagonist as a movie in a movie. (It was a really good decision to change the creation of "The Rat" from a novel to a movie, as if this movie was transformed from a novel to a movie.)
There are many additional parts to the story about the mysterious four-finger woman, which was not in the novel, and added story about the woman whom the "Rat" meets, all the thing make movie more rich.
All the scenes reminiscent of ex-lovers were shocking because the part depicted in the movie was much more pale and grotesque than novel. And bed scene seems to be beautifully and pitifully portrayed well without any special sexual scenes.
I think it is a masterpiece that perfectly coexists with the respect for the original work and the director's reinterpretation. If you are a Haruki fan, this movie is a must.
