Snow Falling on Cedars (1999) by John Sylva Rating: A
Too many films today rely solely on dialogue to tell their story, as nothing is left for the imagination or mind to devour, but only for the ears to enjoy. "Snow Falling On Cedars," Australian director Scott Hicks' follow up to 1996's heart warming "Shine," is almost dialogue free, relying on magnificent shots and settings to tell the thoughtful story on their own. This clever tactic succeeds triumphantly, telling a complex story with deep meaning without a hint of wear and tear, delivering some of the most powerful, heart wrenching scenes in a motion picture this year, many without a word of dialogue. Hicks co-adapts "Snow" with Ronald Bass from the best selling novel of the same name, penned by David Guterson. If it wasn't for the stunning visuals, "Snow" could have been a bumbling mess of a film, but instead is one of the year's strongest.
The hypnotic, overwhelming picture of prejudice, truth, love, and war opens just north of Puget Sound, where a fisherman is savagely murdered by the suspected Japanese fisherman Kazuo Miyamoto (Rick Yune), who is charged for murder and put on trial. From this sequence, "Snow" has already wrapped you in its artistic ways, leaving you spellbound in its beauty for the entire course of the film. "Snow" tells its story during the World War II era, in a time where racial ties between the Chinese and American cultures weren't particularly strong, a fact which later serves as a subplot between two central characters. Defending Miyamoto is Nels Gudmundsson (Max von Sydow), an elderly, caring man, prosecuting him Alvin Hooks (James Rebhorn), an efficient, serious man. As the trial unfolds, so does the deep plot in form of flashback, mainly focusing on the romance between Ishmael Chambers (Ethan Hawke), newspaper journalist covering the trial, and Hatsue Miyamoto (Youki Kudoh), who later became wife to the convicted murderer. We learn Ishmael and Hatsue had a childhood love affair throughout their younger years, but were separated by the war, in which Hatsue, along with her family, ended up in a camp, and Ishmael was sent to battle, in which he'd lose an arm.
The acting is up to par all around, mainly in supporting areas, where Kudoh steals the show as her troubled, generally sad character. Ethan Hawke may be the main focus of the film, but is, for the majority of the film, silent. Kudoh and Hawke have wonderful on screen chemistry together, most of the time tense and unstable, without a word being spoken, which adds to the realness of the situations presented to the viewer. The two particularly shine in the final, unspeakably emotional final shots, which will entrance every bone in your body with their sheer power. Also of note is Max von Sydow, who delivers a well executed performance in some of the film's most memorable scenes. Sydow's performance never feels restrained, as he lets you feel the sincerity and devotedness of his character.
Appearing at first to be simply a murder mystery, "Snow Falling on Cedars" tells multiple, enchanting stories throughout the course of the trial, all connecting somehow to the characters within the courtroom. The film is captivating in a way which films rarely are, blinding you with its blistering intelligence and stunning visuals. "Snow" is a miraculous picture, an absorbing, one of a kind thriller, that shows even more promise coming from director Scott Hicks. The characters within are real, strongly written souls with much background to prove themselves worthy of their personalities. The film moves at a deliberately slow pace, building its story to a stronger level with each passing minute, until everything about the plot becomes crystal clear. Hicks' direction has got to be the best in a film this year, pacing the film in such a way to make the viewer anxious as to what will occur in the coming moments. The film transfers between war stories and love stories, all which polish off this professional, unforgettable work of art. "Snow" is excitingly clever in the way which it tells its compelling story, always presenting every image, from a dying fish to a pine tree, with artistic, beautiful compassion. Also worth praising is that "Snow" depicts the era in which it is set realistically, revealing the awful things the U.S. did to Japanese Americans as a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Provocative is the best word to describe the atmospheric film, whose structure is so well planned and thoughtful, it's hard to decipher how one could be so talented to put this film together. The rich musical score serves as a perfect backdrop for the real star of the show, the setting, playing out loud, melodic pieces to aid the moving story.
"Snow Falling on Cedars" is a rare gem, that doesn't follow the simple path most courtroom thrillers take. If this route was taken, every ounce of beauty and cleverness would be sucked dry from the film, as the originality of the script is what makes "Snow" glisten in so many departments. Many will dislike the film for its choice of narrative structure, but to some, "Snow" should undoubtedly stand as one of the year's best, most breathtaking films. Words can't describe the lush settings of "Snow," or the captivating story, so to experience what the film has to offer, it's best to travel to your theater, kick back with your popcorn, and embrace the power and beauty that is, "Snow Falling on Cedars."
The Bottom Line: "Snow Falling on Cedars" is a rich, beautiful, compassionate film with heavy subject matter, that unfolds flawlessly, against eye popping, mind blowing backdrops. A triumph.
Film reviewed January 10th, 1999.
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