Perfection

Rating: 10/10 (7 January 2013)

Lost in Translation's real power comes in its ability to elicit such a range of emotions from its audience whilst remaining so subtle in everything it does. At once beautiful, tragic, heart warming and funny, it is underscored by a wonderful soundtrack, spectacular cinematography and magnetic performances from its two leads.
Bob and Charlotte are two people lost in the maze of their own lives. The feeling of isolation from their true selves is perfectly reflected in Tokyo's alien culture, people and surroundings. The film is set at a perfect pace, which allows you to consider what may have come before. You are able to mull over how their lives have panned out up to their chance encounter in Tokyo and therefore untangle their respective emotional messes. There is no judgement present in Copolla's script or direction, and none is expected of the audience.
LiT is in the same class as Before Sunrise in its achievement of developing an intense relationship between two strangers over a very short space of time – Copolla replaces Vienna with Tokyo as the postcard backdrop. Comparing the two films is made all the more interesting by the vastly different styles. Where Linklater used almost all dialogue in developing the relationship, Copolla is sparse with hers – relying more on shared experiences and on two characters being in exactly the same place in their lives, despite the generational divide.
It's difficult to see any other actors pulling off the roles of Bob and Charlotte. By many accounts, Murray is effectively playing himself, despite being somewhat against type. Johannson was just 18 at the time of filming – making the emotional depth she conveys quite extraordinary. Lost in Translation really is flawless.