Sofia Coppola (The Virgin Suicides, The Bling Ring) struck gold with the Bill Murray/Scarlett Johansson dramedy Lost in Translation, one of the most original films of all time and one of the best movies of 2003. This instant cult classic explores themes of isolation, loneliness, broken relationships, boredom, cultural shock, existentialism, and instantaneous friendship, all in a quick 102-minute gem where each scene matters and every word carries a vast amount of weight.
Bob Harris (Murray – Groundhog Day, Broken Flowers) is a past his prime movie star who has come to Tokyo to film a commercial for Suntory whiskey. It’s a pretty quick shoot. He hates himself for taking the quick buck when he could be doing something more meaningful, like a play. But money speaks, and apparently, Bob needs the cash. In some of his movies, he’s known to be a comedian, but there isn’t much fun with Bob these days. He’s exhausted. In the entire film, Bob is flat-out exhausted. He’s jet-lagged. Even when he’s staying in the fanciest of hotels in the softest of beds, he can’t sleep. It’s a little tricky at first to tell if he’s depressed or just tired or something in between. I
tend to like my movies layered thick with drama, so I choose to believe that he is going through a depressive episode. Bob carries the persona that he could be funny whenever he wants to be, but he chooses not to just because his burden is so heavy. He is married. During these two weeks, his wife and children are back home in the United States. We know he loves his children. He tells us as much during the film. We only learn a little about his wife. The closest we get to her is when we hear her at the other end of the conversation with Bob. From that, we can tell they have many of the same marital issues that people who have been married for some time might have. His 25-year marriage is a bit strained.
Charlotte (Johansson – Her, The Island) is a young college graduate who recently married John (Giovanni Ribisi – Public Enemies, Cold Mountain), a celebrity photographer on assignment in Tokyo. He leaves her in the hotel room all day, telling her that she will just be bored during the photoshoots. Charlotte is miserable not only because she is stuck in a hotel room but also because of her relationship with John. She feels detached from his lifestyle and disillusioned about their marriage.
People from afar do not readily see their disappointment with their own lives. To many, all is fine. Bob and Charlotte encounter each other in the hotel elevator and start a conversation one night in the hotel bar, each suffering from insomnia. During this time, the two share their ups and downs in life, both through conversation and experiences. Coppola says so much through her characters’ silence. By this, I mean that this movie has a lot of quietness. But when one of her two leads does say something, it seems profound. Shot in the middle of Toyko, the city is full of life and carefree, even when Bob and Charlotte feel anything but full of life and carefree.
As these two characters spend more time with one another, the trust builds, and they begin to divulge more. These are not perfect characters, and Coppola doesn’t try for them to be, but we have a genuine sense that their intentions are good. Ultimately, each wants to be happy. And while it seems like some of their decisions might be more destructive than good, we see two people trying to navigate their way through an unknown world and seeking deep connections with other humans along the way. Through this chance encounter, they share the feeling of loneliness, and this connection makes them emotionally inseparable from one another.
Plot 9/10
Character Development 9/10
Character Chemistry 9/10
Acting 9/10
Screenplay 9/10
Directing 10/10
Cinematography 9/10
Sound 9/10
Hook and Reel 9/10
Universal Relevance 10/10
92%
A-
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