Actually, 3.5 stars, because the end felt a little too prolonged and also sentimental. Otherwise, a well-written, contemporary, often witty, often lyrical revisioning and retelling of the Japanese folktale of the same name. 
 The band The Decemberists has an album titled The Crane Wife, and Ness is a big fan. Tracks entitled The Crane Wife Part 1, 2, & 3 tell the story of the fairy tale.