Overrated Tale of Loneliness

Rating: 8/10 (6 October 2004)

In Tokyo, Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a bored middle-age famous movie star filming a commercial of a whisky for two millions dollars. Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) is a bored and lonely wife of a photographer lodged in the same hotel as Bob. Together, they find the company of each other to supersede their loneliness in a foreigner country, and their proximity becomes in friendship and repressed love. 'Lost in Translation' is a sensitive movie, with a great performances of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. The direction is precise and secure and the screenplay is quite original. The situation of Bob and Charlotte is very easy to be understood, if the viewer has had the experience of working expatriated alone in a country in the Orient, where the language, culture, behavior and social customs and habits are totally different from the Occident. He certainly will miss his family, sometimes will feel bored and confused, most of the times will have difficulties even to order the meals. I found 'Lost in Translation' a beautiful, romantic and melancholic uncommon American film, since it looks like an European movie, but overrated, maybe because of the name of Sofia Coppola. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): 'Encontros e Desencontros' ('Meetings and Failure to Meet')