# Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)

### reviewed by
Bob Bloom

Snow Falling on Cedars (1999) 1 star out of 4. Starring Ethan Hawke, Youki Kudo, Sam Shepard and Max Von Sydow. Written by Ron Bass and Scott Hicks. Directed by Hicks.

"Snow Falling on Cedars" is a languid character study propped up by fine cinematography and beautiful scenery.

Unfortunately, that is not enough to sustain this snail-paced feature.

The movie's biggest flaw is one common to most Hollywood films that deal with people of other cultures - it approaches situations from a white, Western perspective.

Set in post-World War II Washington state, the crux of the story is the murder trial of a Japanese-American fisherman and the prejudice it arouses.

The film's hero is a newspaper reporter who has a personal stake in the case because the wife of the accused is his childhood sweetheart. And while she has moved on, he still carries a torch for her.

"Snow Falling on Cedars" lacks passion and fire. It is as cold as the frigid landscape that director Scott Hicks continually enjoys intercutting throughout the drama.

It doesn't help that the hero, Ishmael Chambers, is portrayed by Ethan Hawke as a sad-faced piner who seems to be daydreaming throughout the entire proceedings.

How he finally solves the mystery seems a mystery, since it appears he hasn't been paying attention to anything that has been going on in the courtroom.

The feature is really two stories - a murder mystery and a love story. Where they intersect is at the character of Hatsue Miyamoto (Youki Kudoh).

As children, Hatsue and Ishmael were in love. Then the war came along, and Hatsue and her family were carted off to an internment camp.

Returning after the war, Ishmael finds that Hatsue has married, while Hatsue and her family find they have been cheated out of the land they were promised would be held for them by a kindly neighbor.

Despite what sounds like an intriguing story, "Snow Fall on Cedars" is dull, with a limpid payoff.

The fault lies in the script, adapted by Oscar-winner Ron Bass ("Rain Man") and Hicks from the novel by David Guterson, which fails to bring any of the characters to life. They all seem so subdued, so lifeless.

And Hicks' direction isn't any help. It lacks speed and pace. It just drifts like a ship lost in a fog. It is dark and dank.

Hicks' intention may have been to allow us to get to know his characters, but none of them have much meat, so we have nothing to chew on.

For example, it is almost three-quarters of the way through the movie before you realize that Ishmael lost an arm fighting in Europe during the war.

The movie only comes alive during its courtroom sequence, which features a rousing portrayal by Max Von Sydow as the wily, elderly defense lawyer.

In the small roll of Ishmael's father, Sam Shepard is dignified, a bit fiery and compassionate.

"Snow Falling on Cedars" was supposed to be a movie that would melt your heart. Instead its lack of spirit, of moral outrage, leaves you cold.

Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at bobbloom@iquest.net

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