‘A Pale View of Hills’ Review: An Overly Cautious Adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Haunting Novel

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In a humble English countryside home, a young woman named Niki (Camila Aiko) sifts through her mother Etsuko’s (Yoh Yoshida) belongings. Amidst half-packed boxes and scattered documents, she discovers an envelope filled with photographs. Remarking on one of the images, she tells her mother, “I rarely see photos of you in Nagasaki, you look so young,” to which Etsuko replies that she hadn’t planned on displaying these particular pictures. Instead, she tidies up the bed, suggesting a certain reserve or hidden stories in their exchange.

The furtive conversations scattered throughout the film “A Pale View of Hills“, Kei Ishikawa’s meticulous adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s debut novel, serve as a backdrop to two intertwined narratives. One story unfolds in 1980s England, where Niki assists her mother in selling their home and reminiscing about their past. Meanwhile, Niki is also conducting interviews with her mother regarding their life in post-war Japan, as she seeks to uncover the reasons behind her older sister Keiko’s suicide for a memoir she is writing. The cinematography, handled by DP Piotr Niemyjski, gives a cool and somber tone to these scenes with dark blues, muted greens, and a persistent grayness that pervades each frame.

In this second segment, we delve into Etsuko’s memories, painted in a warm, sun-kissed hue that represents Nagasaki of 1950. Ishikawa skillfully transports us to the years following the U.S. bombing, an event that leveled the port city and took the lives of hundreds of thousands, leaving many more contaminated by radiation. The atmosphere here is softer, with the director using a vibrant, almost dreamlike visual style to depict these scenes.

Collectively, these strands weave an uneven and at times ordinary cinematic tapestry. While the post-war Japan segments carry a deeper emotional impact than the rigid portrayals of generational trauma in 1980s English dramas, this adaptation is tainted by a lingering mistrust from viewers. It seems that Ishikawa, striving to honor the source material, is apprehensive about introducing any ambiguity, fearing it might undermine the enigma driving Ishiguro’s novel. However, a touch of doubt can be advantageous, particularly when dealing with an author whose work is so hauntingly profound.

After Etsuko confides that the strain of moving has been causing her nightmares, Niki urges her mom to tell her some tales about living in Nagasaki. At first, the older woman hesitates, but then softens and agrees as she reminisces about the hopeful atmosphere pervading the city following the bombing. In those post-war days, Etsuko (portrayed by Suzu Hirose in “Our Little Sister”) and her husband Jiro (Kouhei Matsushita) are anticipating their first child. Their tranquil lifestyle is abruptly altered when Jiro’s father Ogata (Tomokazu Miura, in “Perfect Days”) moves in for an extended period, and Etsuko encounters Sachiko (Fumi Nikaido from “Shogun”), a single mom living in a dilapidated cottage nearby.

Two women, one a mother-to-be, the other an expectant grandmother, confront Etsuko with challenges that force her to grapple with the lingering pain of World War II and the position of women in post-war Japan. In Ogata, the pregnant woman comes to realize why younger generations view their elders as deceivers, believing they were led into war by blind loyalty to imperialism. Through Sachiko, Etsuko gains a broader perspective on what it means to be a Japanese woman, extending beyond Nagasaki’s boundaries. Sachiko nurtures dreams of escaping the city with her daughter Mariko, a lonely and discontent child she believes could flourish away from Japan. When she encounters an American soldier named Frank who proposes taking her abroad, these aspirations seem more attainable.

In Ishiguro’s novel, one intriguing enigma centers around the peculiar bond between Etsuko and Sachiko. As remembered by Etsuko, there are uncanny similarities between these two characters that have led some critics to speculate they could be reflections of each other. The author cleverly keeps this aspect ambiguous, providing hints but not definitive answers. This deliberate obscurity adds an intriguing element of unpredictability to the book, mirroring how countries grapple with or interpret complex, painful events in their past.

In directing and editing the film “A Pale View of Hills”, Ishikawa also penned the screenplay. He feels most comfortable with the Nagasaki timeline, which follows a traditional family drama structure. However, when it comes to merging and harmonizing this timeline with the one set in England, Ishikawa encounters some challenges. The film’s power is somewhat diminished due to a propensity for excessive explanation and oversimplification.

Nevertheless, there are notable aspects, such as Etsuko and Sachiko’s bond, which stand out. The captivating dynamic between Hirose and Nikaido brings their acting to life and intensifies the fascinating facets of their characters’ friendships. Combined with Ishiguro’s renown, this drama may still achieve some recognition in America, despite its flaws.

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2025-05-18 21:55