SYNOPSIS:
Chiaki
has just won the prestigious Platini International Music Competition
leading to his being named new conductor for the Le Marlet
Orchestra. Despite having a storied tradition and the place
where Chiaki's mentor, Herr Streseman got his start, Chiaki
finds to his great dismay nothing more than a ragtag group
of lackluster musicians with no unity or desire. The orchestra
has fallen on hard times with financial cutbacks leading to
less rehersals, smaller and smaller audiences and dwindling
patrons plus an uncooperative concertmaster who throws Chiaki
into despair. Meanwhile, Nodame spends her days steeped in
piano practice. Along with friends Frank, Tanya a nd Kuroki,
all are pinning their hopes on passing a tough examination
for promotion at their music conservatory. When Chiaki asks
Nodame to perform with his orchestra as celesta for Ravel's
Bolero, she is beside herself with joy... until circumstances
lead to her giving way to gifted pianist, Rui. Nodame is crushed
but suppresses her shock, allowing her heartfelt yearning
to see Chiaki succeed take precedence. Matters are further
complicated when a horrible fate strikes Chiaki and his roughly-hewn
Marlet Orchestra prior to their first performance. Will Chiaki
be able to revive a broken down orchestra and launch his music
career? And what will become of Nodame and Chiaki's relationship?
Are they beginning to drift apart? The answers lie in the
dramatic conclusion of "Nodame Cantabile The Movie I
& II".
MOVIE REVIEW:
Among
the influx of Japanese comic adaptations to movies, "Nodame
Cantabile: The Movie" is definitely a breath of fresh
air. Yes, the topic of love is inescapable in this romance
comedy but Nodame has lots more to offer if you are sick of
mushy puppy love and the usual crops of romance tragedies
that came out so often from the land of the rising sun.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Nodame
manga series. This movie adaptation begins with our two loveable
protagonists or should I say lovable female protagonist, Nodame
(Juri Ueno) who is doing her piano studies at the Conservatoire
de Paris while her beau, Chiaki (Hiroshi Tamaki) has been
named new conductor for the Le Marlet Orchestra after winning
a prestigious award. In addition to their matters of the heart,
Chiaki is met with mounting pressure to revive the once reputable
Le Marlet Orchestra, Nodame on the other hand is waiting to
sit for the upcoming promotional examination hoping one day
she can play the piano together with the talented Chiaki on
the stage.
For her part as the bubbly but sloppy Nodame,
Juri Ueno should be hugely credited for her all-out performance.
A stark contrast to the solemn Chiaki, Nodame is one who is
not shy to display her affections and also a girl who possess
utmost enthusiasm for her musical craft. It’s a role
that requires flawless comic timing and cutesiness and Juri
Ueno nails it perfectly despite the challenging task of not
hovering towards cheesy territory. Japanese actor/singer Hiroshi
Tamaki who appears in the 2001 mega-hit, Waterboys pales in
comparison as his role require nothing more than a long-faced
and a piece of handsome tuxedo.
Instead
of relying on a second unit, the whole production is shot
authentically in Paris and parts of Europe. The lush cinematography
is another added advantage which lends a magical feel to the
topic on hand. And for most of us who feels that classical
music is way beyond our touch, "Nodame Cantabile: The
Movie" actually imparts us with knowledge of how memorable
musical pieces such as Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer's Apprentice
and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture came about and yes,
the difference between a French bassoon and a German bassoon.
Another feel-good thing about the movie is the frequent outbursts
of Nodame’s delusional dream gags that involved colourful
landscapes, cute animals and amusing acts.
Obviously it’s a tedious juggling act
for the filmmakers when it comes to adapting from a source
material that span for years to a two hours long feature.
Thus when it comes to the various supporting characters such
as Nodame/Chiaki’s group of bustling friends and Chiaki’s
elusive mentor, Stresemann (played by Naoto Takenaka from
Shinjuku Incident), it’s just fleeting appearances which
makes you crave for more at times. Perhaps a more accepted
practice with Japanese audience, the movie is dubbed in Japanese
on the whole despite the presence of numerous fellow French
cast members, a move which can be consider discerning to some.
"Nodame
Cantabile: The Movie" for the uninitiated ends with a
cliffhanger, the fate of our two young lovers remains a question
mark towards the end. Will they get back together again or
will they let their musical talents led them apart? I strongly
recommend everyone to join Nodame and Chiaki on this touching, humourous and eye-opening journey to love, music and more!
SPECIAL FEATURES :
This Code 3 DVD only comes with a Trailer
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio is disappointing given
the inability to portray the grandeur of the numerous music
pieces in the movie. The visual presentation is pleasing to
the eyes all thanks to the wondrous landscapes and cinematography.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Linus Tee
Posted on 26 July 2010
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