Lost in Translation Review

Lost in Translation

This is the first film review I have ever done, so bear with me if I am offensively vague—I swear I will get better in due time…

Okay! So I watched this on Netflix a few weeks ago (unfortunately, it isn’t fresh on my mind), and I enjoyed it! Here are the reasons:

Cinematography: 8/10

The film showcased a style that I was pretty happy to see—one almost reminiscent of some slice-of-the-life anime series I’ve seen lately (I have a feeling this came out way before most of those even started to become popular). The shots focused on the subjects in a way that allowed for their emotions to be easily interpreted, and due to this use of technique, very little dialogue was necessary to convey the feeling of the scene.

 

Bill Murray, holding a stuffed owl. You should know why.

Scarlett Johansson looking all bored.

Music: 9/10

My brother owns a copy of this film’s score, and he claims it to be amazing. I concur with his sentiment, because, as I watched the movie, I almost immediately took notice of the appropriateness of the music. At the end of the film, when Bill Murray’s character, Bob Harris, says goodbye to Scarlett Johansson’s character, Charlotte, “Just Like Honey” by the Jesus and Mary Chain plays the film out to its credits. The choice for this song as a play-out is perfect as a final farewell between the characters. I couldn’t agree more with my brother that this movie’s score is amazing.

Direction: 8/10

Sofia Coppola utilized the seasoned chops of Bill Murray to play a character that seems oddly different, yet somewhat familiar, to other roles he’s played. He’s still very snarky and sarcastic, but rather than being a lively individual, Coppola has him play a more bitter and almost depressed version of his normal character type. Murray pulls this off extraordinarily, as the viewer relates and empathizes with his demeanor. Johansson plays her role of a troubled young wife very well, and the connection the two characters share feels so natural and realistic that you can only appreciate these two leads more for adding so much depth and dynamic with the lenient yet precise direction of Sofia Coppola.

Story: 8.5/10

Bob Harris, an aging actor, flies to Tokyo, Japan to appear in advertisements for a whiskey, leaving his family behind. He doesn’t speak a lick of Japanese. Naturally, this leads to some hilarious sequences in which Harris is snapping remarks to his director during the shoot, turning down a call girl somebody has sent up to his room, and other such hijinks. Charlotte, the wife of a photographer on business in Japan, is left alone during the day in their hotel room. Charlotte and Bob meet officially at the bar in the hotel and hit it off immediately, due to their similar fish-out-of-water situations. They form a friendly relationship that is left in ambiguity by the end of the film, and inevitably go their separate ways.

Many people generally dislike the film because they felt that it had no point, when really, they just did not understand the concept Coppola used. A good story isn’t based on high-action, intense romance, or raunchy comedy—a good story is just an account of important and meaningful events, regardless of the level of action, romance, or comedy. The point of slice-of-the-life is to demonstrate that even the mundane can be entertaining, and that life is full of quirks and surprises.

I understand, though, that a lot of people do not care to slice-of-the-life, so this one is one that I can only recommend with the disclaimer that Your Mileage May Vary. Personally, this is one of my favourites, but I can understand if somebody doesn’t care for the genre. Bill Murray did become one of my favourite actors because of this movie, though… If you’re a fan of him, you at least have to check it out!

Overall: 9/10