Lost In Translation
Sofia Coppola's second film, Lost In Translation is a
romantic comedy drama starring Bill Murray as a washed
up actor going through a mid-life crisis who meets a
young woman called Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) while
filming a commercial in Tokyo. Murray's character Bob and Johanssen's Charlotte are both unhappy in their marriages, and they soon form an unlikely friendship, but will it ever become more than that?
Bill Murray is fantastic in his role and really does this film justice, his facial expressions and deadpan deliveries are hilarious and fit his character perfectly. Scarlett Johansson is also fun to watch and the chemistry between the two is just right. Having such wonderful leads is crucial in a film where almost all of our time is spent observing their relationship, in fact there is not a single scene where we're not with either one, the people around them are simply there to set up the situation and all of the characterization is focused on Bob and Charlotte.
Sofia Coppola's vision of Tokyo is a neon jungle, bustling with people but strangely alienating, especially for the two characters as they are unfamiliar with their surroundings and the local culture. When our characters first arrive at their hotel they don't know what to do with themselves, Charlotte sits alone in her room during the day and stares out of the window while Bob lies awake at night staring at the cieling, until he discovers the bar which becomes his new home. Charlotte makes an effort to take in the sites but even when she goes to a monastary to see a group of monks chanting she doesn't feel anything, she's simply lost, and this scares her, but when she meets Bob one night at the bar and they hit it off it doesn't matter anymore because they are lost together.
Anyone who likes Bill Murray and his style will love this film, it is absolutely laugh-out-loud funny. Murray is given numerous comedic set-ups and Sofia Coppola simply lets him rip. Murray's improvisational skills shine in certain scenes and you really get a sense of spontaneouty, you never know what's going to happen and this is also true of the relationship between him and Charlotte. The situations and conversations in the film all feel very real, nothing seems absurd or unlikely, this helps ground the film and really allows you to relate to the characters. When the film is over you almost don't want to say goodbye to them, you can really empathise with what's going on.
Lost In Translation is the kind of film that leaves you feeling completely elated, it pushes all the right buttons and is one almost everyone can relate to. Charlotte's identity crisis reflects the feelings of almost all teenagers and young adults who question their purpous and their own future while Bob's mid-life crisis is something many adults can relate to and this means that it's accessible to almost all ages. This is perhaps one of the most intelligent, moving, funny and interesting films of all time and it is certainly difficult to find a single fault within it's perfectly woven story, it's brilliant cast and crew and its visually stunning facade. Pitch perfect, this is what great filmaking is all about, its only problem is that it has to end some time and like the characters in the film you just don't want to say goodbye. Anyone who has a love for film and wants to see something with sheer class written all over it should see Lost In Translation. This is bound to become a classic.
Rating- 9/10 |
