A review of Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)

Snow Falling on Cedars is a film by Shine's director Scott Hicks, starring Ethan Hawke and Sam Shepard. Based on a best-selling novel by David Guterson, it was released in 1999 and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. It made over $14 million at the American box office and a further eight million dollars worldwide. This article is a review of Snow Falling on Cedars (1999).

The story

The film takes place in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1950s. It is only nine years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and so, it is a time of strained relations between the Anglo and Japanese communities. A Japanese man Kazuo Miyamoto (Rick Yune) is on trial for the murder of a childhood friend, Carl Heine (Eric Thal). When Heine’s body is found tangled in his fishing nets, suspicion immediately falls on Miyamoto. The film follows his trial and through flashbacks of the history of the characters. Ethan Hawke plays journalist Ishmael Chambers, who must battle his own personal demons to ensure a fair trial.

A well-made film with good intentions

Adapting a complex novel is a tricky business. A book has hundreds of pages to explore various plots, characters and themes, while a film has about two hours. As a result, Snow Falling on Cedars feels a bit convoluted as there are even flashbacks within flashbacks. There are too many storylines and as a result, the film lacks focus and fails to really grab the viewer’s attention. It is a surprise that much plot can be so meandering. However, the film looks wonderful with some beautiful, breath-taking scenes and it is no surprise that it received several awards for cinematography. There are some strong performances. Ethan Hawke turns in an intense, measured performance as a man living in his father’s shadow and battling between his heart and his conscience. Swedish actor Max von Sydow (best known as the priest in The Exorcist), is brilliant as defence attorney Nels Gudmundsson and the high-charged courtroom scenes are the most enjoyable of the film. It is a power house performance from the veteran actor. This is a well-made film with good intentions. However, the fact that it tries to do too much prevents it from being a great movie.