An important factor in "No Impact Man" the book is that the author reveals himself as having Zen Buddhist beliefs. What's missing from "No Impact Man" the documentary is this bit of personal information. Charting a year in the lives of the book's author, Colin Beavan, and his family — who decided to go from your average high-consumption New York lifestyle to quitting toilet paper and composting their own body waste (all the while staying in their Manhattan apartment) — "No Impact Man" takes the "why" out of the eco quest, and concentrates on the "how."
Not that this is necessarily bad. But Japanese audiences coming out of a long, sweaty, power-saving summer may find it less instructional than expected. Walking everywhere? Buying local produce at the farmer's market? Refraining from using elevators? Ah, been there, done that.
This is the thing: "No Impact Man" would have benefited from a dose of something extra, i.e., some philosophical pondering (which the book does with abundance). At the same time, it makes you realize how much the collective outlook has changed, post-March 11. Watching this family light candles instead of turning on the lights, stomping on their laundry in the bathtub while exchanging a kiss — these scenes seem cozy, tender and loving, instead of adventurous and revolutionary.