Product: Snow Falling on Cedars (2000)
Rating: 3.0
Worth seeing even if you have read the book
I know some critics have praised the film adaptation for it's strong resemblance to Guterson's novel, but I was less impressed as I thought Guterson's novel already read like a screenplay. In fact, I thought the film betrayed the book by portraying Hatsue's husband as a harsher and more distant man than his literary counterpart, in an attempt, I'm guessing, to win over the white males in the audience. The highlights of the film for me include the gorgeous cinematography, and Max von Sydow's perfect portrayal of the decrepit but experienced defence lawyer. Scott Hicks' flashy direction also kept things interesting, which was helpful, as I was already familiar with the story.