Toni Takitani

When i first saw that a film was made based on Toni Takitani, one of Haruki Murakami’s short stories, i was skeptical. After all, the first half-baked attempt made after Murakami's novel "Hear the Wind Sing" was such a fiasco, that the author declined every optioning offer ever since (Jay Rubin, "Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words"). That would explain why Toni Takitani's voice over follows the story almost word for word. In fact, this production seems more like a variation of an audio/video book. Lines delivered by corresponding actors rather then the narrator himself are an ellegant touch.

Speaking of actors - Issey Ogata (playing Toni Takitani) looks suspiciously reminiscent of Murakami himself; a very appropriate translation of his "boku". There is only one deviation from the original piece - the "corporate party" scene at the end. Personally, i was not all that pleased with that addition, but the soundtrack compensated fully. The music film is really beautiful, despite being repetitive. Thinking of the difference between solitude and loneliness, I can’t help but imagine Toni Takitani on the other end – “Long after he had forgotten all kinds of things”.

There are no question when nothing is measurable.
Wake me up in a place where none exists.
Do not wake me up at all to be so trivial.
Lead me out of it.
Leave me in.
Leave me alone.