In Sophia Coppola's "Lost in Translation," her first film since "The Virgin Suicides," she effortlessly chronicles the story of Bob and Charlotte, played by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, respectively. Through brilliant acting and eloquent directing, "Lost in Translation" will surely be a film talked about during the awards season.
Bob is an aging movie star who, in an act of desperation, accepts an offer to be the spokesman for a whiskey company in Japan. Bob knows he is above this line of work, but he needs a job. He no longer gets large and important roles in films like he did before. Because of this, he treats his job like a joke and mostly spends his time in Japan drinking and going to parties.
His home life is less than ideal. Passion no longer exists between him and his wife. He tries to say "I love you," but ends up saying it to the dial tone. When he tries to talk to his daughter on the phone, she runs to another room screaming. The only thing his wife seems to care about is furnishing his office at home. She sends him carpet samples and possible blueprints for the room. She, however, never sends love or affection, just bitter retorts, sharp quips and rugs.
Charlotte, on the other hand, is a young, sensitive graduate from Yale who has been married for two years now. Her husband (Giovanni Ribisi) took a job photographing a band in Tokyo, and consequently, they both travel to Japan for a week. Charlotte, though, is left alone in the hotel while her husband meets singers and movie stars.
Throughout the movie, she questions herself and her marriage. During one conversation with a confidant back in the states, she admits that she doesn't even know who she married. She is simply going along for the ride, trapped in her marital life. In one shot, she sits in a windowsill facing the entire city of Tokyo. The audience senses that she could have the entire world if she tried, but in reality, the windowsill blockades her, and she is ultimately trapped. She has nowhere to go.
As a matter a coincidence, both Bob and Charlotte happen to be staying in the same hotel. They meet night after night in the hotel bar because of insomnia, solitude and, most of all, a need to find and understand someone in their forlorn states. They are two lost souls, and somehow they find each other and survive their week in Japan without knowing the city, the customs or the language.
Although this all sounds like some serious subject matter, don't be fooled; there are definitely numerous comic moments. One scene, for instance, shows a team of workers attempting to film Bob with the whiskey. The director talks for sentences at a time, but the translation is simple and concise. Coppola doesn't give her audience the direct translation with subtitles. The viewer, like Bob, has no clue what is being said around him. Both parties are trapped by the language barrier. Murray's facial expressions and mannerisms during this scene are hilarious. Another scene shows Bob having a near-death experience with an elliptical machine at the gym.
The best and most impressive aspect of the film is definitely the relationship formed between Charlotte and Bob. Even though he is old enough to be her father, these two share a common bond with each other, and they truly understand each other's disillusionment with life. When they are together, they are able to laugh and enjoy themselves, but hints of their troubled lives keep lurking in the background of their consciousnesses.
One scene, in particular, beautifully demonstrates Bob's embarrassment and near-shame with his current job in Japan. He and Charlotte are having the time of their lives one night at a party, but on the way home, he sees one of his whiskey advertisements on a passing truck. Immediately, his smile drops, and the image brings him back to his sorry existence in life. The laughter and jovial behavior ceases, and feelings of melancholy and regret take over.
Murray conveys a finely tuned character in this film. Through his comic mannerisms and sense of humor, the audience sees glimpses of what Bob's career used to be when he was a prominent celebrity. Now, he is a sadder, older and more jaded movie star stuck in a foreign country promoting alcohol. Murray has definitely evolved into a masterful actor, and his acting in this film is unquestionably worthy of Oscar attention, especially after he was snubbed for his role in "Rushmore" four years ago.
Johansson offers a very delicately poignant and mature performance, which is certainly admirable since, in real life, she is only 18 years old. She definitely holds her own against her older and more experienced counterpart. Johansson convincingly portrays a questioning youth in search of a purpose in life and marriage.
Finally, Coppola's direction of "Lost in Translation" allows the viewers to see exactly what she wants them to see. Close-ups allow the viewer to witness the sorrow lurking just under the surface of Murray's performance. Her attention to detail is commendable for a director who has only completed three films.
All in all, Coppola and her cast offer an excellent film that honestly and refreshingly shows characters trying to find themselves amid confusion and uncertainty. Through a simple relationship with a stranger, like with Bob and Charlotte, profound and life-changing philosophies on existence transpire.
5 out of 5 stars
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