Lost in Translation (2003)

Director:

Sofia Coppola

Writer (WGA):

Sofia Coppola (written by)

Release Date:

3 October 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Everyone wants to be found.

Plot:

A movie star with a sense of emptiness, and a neglected newlywed meet up as strangers in Tokyo, Japan and form an unlikely bond.

Plot Keywords:

Photographer | Commercial | Translation | Japan | Hotel

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 70 wins & 59 nominations

Cast

Scarlett Johansson	...	Charlotte
Bill Murray	...	Bob Harris
Akiko Takeshita	...	Ms. Kawasaki
Kazuyoshi Minamimagoe	...	Press Agent
Kazuko Shibata	...	Press Agent
Take	...	Press Agent
Ryuichiro Baba	...	Concierge
Akira Yamaguchi	...	Bellboy
Catherine Lambert	...	Jazz Singer
François du Bois	...	Sausalito Piano (as Francois du Bois)
Tim Leffman	...	Sausalito Guitar
Gregory Pekar	...	American Businessman #1
Richard Allen	...	American Businessman #2
Giovanni Ribisi	...	John
Diamond Yukai	...	Commercial Director (as Yutaka Tadokoro)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese | German | French

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Indonesia:Dewasa | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Malaysia:18PL (re-rating) | Malaysia:(Banned) (uncut version) | Iceland:L | Hungary:14 | Greece:K | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:G (Québec) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-11 | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (edited for re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Heian Shrine, Kyoto, Japan

Company:

Focus Features

Trivia:

The entire budget for the film was $4 million. It grossed over $6.5 million (over 1 1/2 times its budget) at the US box office after becoming available commercially on DVD.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When John (Giovanni Ribisi) first runs into Kelly (Anna Faris) in the lobby of the hotel he calls her Anna.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ms. Kawasaki: Welcome to Tokyo.
Bob: Thank you very much.
Ms. Kawasaki: My name is Kawasaki. Nice to meet you.
Bob: I've heard of you. Thank you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 50 Films to See Before You Die (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Just Like Honey

Filmed in Tokyo, with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, one of the better movies I've seen in a while.

For anyone who wants a synopsis of this movie, the critics Ebert and Berardinelli have excellent, complete reviews of 'Lost in Translation', and they both give it their highest ratings.

My wife and I saw it tonight on DVD, with DTS 5.1 sound and both think it is a remarkable movie. I like Bill Murray in just about everything, and this will go down as one of his strongest performances, as Bob, the actor in Japan for a week doing whisky commercials. Scarlett Johansson plays Charlotte, the young wife virtually abandoned in the city to do her own thing as her photographer husband (Ribisi) goes to various locations for shoots.

What I liked most was the realistic feel. Being in a strange city, with unusual customs and a language you have no hope of understanding. Meeting someone who because of circumstances (age, marital status) will only ever be a friend. Being able to talk freely. Reflecting on where we've been and where we might be going. Many of the negative comments about this movie relate to an impression that it is 'boring.' I'll put on my 'maturity hat' and state that anyone who thinks 'Lost In Translation' is boring simply was not able, at least while they watched it, appreciate the inner beauty of this movie.

The scene that made the whole story come together for me was when they were in one of their hotel rooms (doesn't matter which), overhead shot, they were in bed talking, fully clothed, he is on his back staring at the ceiling, she is on her side, eyes probably closed, the tips of her feet barely touching the side of his leg, and he moves his hand and puts it on her feet. Then the scene fades to black. It is the kind of tender, non-sexual touch that tells us how close they have become, and that theirs is a relationship of mutual trust and admiration, not one of lust.

People like Bob and Charlotte really exist, and they really do meet up in very similar situations. After a week, they must go their separate ways, he to his family and activities of his kids, she to wait for her husband and figure out how to get out of the rut. We sense that he does not love her they way she needs, and we wonder what will happen.