Hicks' film of Guterson's novel is filmed like a crystalline dream and structured like a series of memories, yet the dramatic weight of the film isn't quite hefty enough to make for a completely satisfying experience. The story is centered around a simple and fairly familiar courtroom drama, with Von Sydow as the advocate of justice, but these scenes are often overburdened with the film's lofty message. Intermingled scenes of Ishmael and Hatsue as children are filmed lovingly and well, but Hawke as the older Ishmael lacks sufficient anguish to make his situation compelling. The historical importance of anti-Japanese prejudice is given its due, and yet there's something not quite right about a film in which it is the Anglo protagonist who must do the forgiving. In the end, while Hicks' film is an engaging story, it never quite lives up to its ambitions, resulting in a decent but underwhelming film.
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