Lost in Translation is a (2003) motion picture. It was the second writing and directorial effort of Sofia Coppola (after The Virgin Suicides).

Tagline: Everyone wants to be found.

Cast (partial)

• Scarlett Johansson  : Charlotte
• Bill Murray  : Bob Harris
• Akiko Takeshita  : Ms. Kawasaki
• Giovanni Ribisi  : John
• Anna Faris  : Kelly

Synopsis

At the surface, Lost in Translation is a movie about culture shock between East and West, but this reveals itself as being metaphorical for the more important theme, the more general alienation or loneliness of individuals at certain stages in their lives, not necessarily in the modern world, and about companionship.

Bob Harris (played by Murray), is a American movie star on the downward slope of his career who has come to Tokyo, Japan, to film a Suntory whisky commercial. His marriage has cooled off decidedly—his wife calls frequently, not to actually talk to him, but to get his opinion on floor samples for remodeling. Harris finds himself in a city and culture beyond his comprehension for reasons that he has trouble remembering. Johansson is Charlotte, a recent philosophy graduate of Yale University, the wife of a Rolling Stone-type photographer (Ribisi) on assignment in Tokyo. As both a hanger-on and a left-behind, she begins to wonder where she is and what she is doing, and who the man that she married really is. Her husband has more time for his work and the young starlets (e.g., Faris) that he is there to shoot than for her. Bob and Charlotte, both lonely, lost, and sleepless, happen upon each other in the lounge of the hotel where they are staying (the Park Hyatt Tokyo) and strike up an unusual friendship. Drawn together by their mutual dissatisfaction and alienation, the two experience the stranger side of Tokyo nightlife, playfully exploring the foreign city, and finding comfort in relating to each other when nothing else in their lives seems to fit. Against the expected movie stereotype of man meets woman, the friendship does not become romantic, but however seems to end up making a lasting change.

The film is a delicately nuanced look at the mechanics of verbal and emotional miscommunication, igniting a spark of common humanity and yearning at the intersection between a mid-life and a quarter-life crisis. Slyly appealing to Baby Boomers as much as Generation X-ers, Lost in Translation rapidly earned itself a cult following for its almost uncanny ability to connect on a very personal level with viewers across the spectrum of age and culture.

The movie lets the pictures tell the story, more than the dialogue.

Autobiographical elements

Much has been made of the parallels between the characters in the film and those in the life of Sofia Coppola. Indeed, Ribisi's character is similar to Coppola's then husband Spike Jonze, and claims have been made that Faris's character is in fact based on Cameron Diaz, though Coppola has gone on record to say that this is not the case.

Reaction

Boosted by critical acclaim and audience word of mouth, this modest feature film (with only a $4 million budget) became a comparative box office hit. Lost in Translation has been praised not only for Coppola's script and distinctive directing, but especially for Murray, who by most accounts gave the performance of his career. Johansson (only 19 at the time) also received notice for her strong performance.

Some have strongly criticised the movie for being what is perceived to be a stereotyped and unsympathetic portrayal of Japanese culture. All of the Japanese characters serve as comic relief and much of the humor is at their expense based on common Japanese stereotypes, such as their mispronouncing English or their relatively short stature. This position is not universally held as others have defended the film against these allegations. One Peter Sattler, in a letter to movie critic David Edelstein of Slate, wrote that "the feelings of strangeness are entirely in the American characters. The camera records beauties—cultural and natural—that the 'lost' visitors are unable to register or understand.... In the movie, Japanese culture estranges you from American culture—makes American culture look strange and dubbed, as much as the other way around." It should be understood that the alien landscape of Tokyo only serves to illustrate the alienation the main characters experience, not because they are there, but because they are human.

Awards

The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and garnered four other Golden Globe Award nominations, for best director, best motion picture (musical or comedy), best actor (musical or comedy) (Murray), best actress (musical or comedy) (Johansson), and best screenplay. It won the awards for best picture (musical or comedy), best screenplay, and best actor (musical or comedy).

At the BAFTA film awards, the film won the editing and both best actor (Murray) and best actress (Johansson) awards, as well as being nominated in five other categories (best film, director, original screenplay, and cinematography).

It won four IFP Independent Spirit Awards, for best feature, best director, best male lead (Murray), and best screenplay.

Lost in Translation also received nominations for four Academy Awards: for best director (the first time an American woman was nominated for this award), best picture, best actor (Murray), and best original screenplay. It won the award for best original screenplay.

External links

• Official site
• Guardian article on the film's perceived racism