Best movie of 2003

Rating: 10/10 (7 March 2004)

I expected this movie to be a comedy or a dreadfully "intellectual" piece of poo. I found a truly great movie. [Warning: this review may contain spoilers]
This is a story about two people meeting in Tokyo and being attracted to each other. The girl, Scarlett Johansson, is a young graduate who just realised that she married a complete idiot. The other, Bill Murray, is an aging American movie star not getting along very well with his wife but who loves his two kids. [note: his career is fine, nothing indicated otherwise. The Japanese do have famous actors coming over to endorse products, and they pick the highly famous stars, not the outfashioned. There's website somewhere on the net referencing those commercials, look for it.]
This movie is all about the growing attraction between the two and what they will make of it. Johansson - the young and foolish - being clearly ready to drop her husband on the spot, while Murray - the rich and famous alcoholic with two kids - is torn between what he wants to do and what he should do.
This movie will spell nothing out for you, the relationship is purely platonic. You have to use your head for a change, which makes the movie all the more believable as you wonder what will become of those two.
Sadly the girl is a bit of a passive idiot, but that's the only way she could be. Who else would marry her idiotic husband and then fall for the very old alcoholic in the bar?
This movie reminded me strongly of Casablanca. Two strangers in a strange land facing a choice, should they follow their feelings or do what is morally right? As in Casablanca, the decision is up to the guy.
Unlike in Casablanca, this is not spelled out for you, although any one who cares to think a little will always know what is going on. The lack of grand speeches telling you what is going on makes this movie all the more realistic[If you must know, he simply exposes her the situation: what he feels and why he must leave her. It's obvious if you have a bit of brain and experience]. This is why I believe it is superior.