Two people who lose and find themselves in each other

Rating: 10/10 (11 May 2006)

It's always a fascinating sight watching two people who don't speak the same language try to talk to each other. Even though they can't understand one another, they keep trying nonetheless. In the case of Bob and Charlotte in Lost in Translation, they can't decipher the cultural code of Tokyo, but understand each other's loneliness and dislocation.
LIT makes the wise choice of introducing the characters of Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) individually. In fact they don't properly meet until half an hour into the film. Bob is a washed up actor who has arrived in Tokyo to shoot a commercial for whisky. Charlotte is with her husband, a photographer on assignment. She wasn't doing anything so decided to tag along.
Since a lot of this film feels like we're observing these two, we watch as they go through the monotony of their routines, and how they eventually encounter each other. Bob shoots the adverts with no real enthusiasm, and is in it strictly for the money. His marriage feels even more distant than usual since he and his wife are occupying different time-zones. The culture clash of contemporary Tokyo is baffling to him, and he spends most of his time idling the hours away in the hotel bar or his room.
Charlotte hasn't been married to her husband, John, for long and already she's beginning to feel she's made a huge mistake. They don't really have anything in common, and she spends her time either in her room contemplating her fate, or exploring the more serene side of Tokyo. Charlotte is a young woman wise far beyond her years, but her maturity is a mixed blessing, because although she sees the true reality of her marriage, she's at a loss what to do about it.
Bob and Charlotte are staying at the same hotel, and they pass each other in lifts and crowded rooms, until one night when they can't sleep, they both find each other in the after hours of the hotel bar. Lost in Translation never makes any grand sweeping gestures, but allows the relationship between these kindred spirits to develop on its own.
They exchange their reasons for being in Tokyo, their marriages, and their mutual confusion at the bizarre side of Japanese life. Despite their age difference, they sense each others loneliness and are driven to seek each other out.
One of my favourite moments is when they go for a night out. Bob is wearing a very loud Hawaian shirt, which is an obvious cry for help. You'll notice that he turns it inside out, and keeps it that way for the rest of the night. Perhaps to symbolise his transition to introvert from the extrovert he used to be years ago. You'll notice some of the other people in similar shirts, and how different he looks. Again an example of how dislocated Bob feels.
Bob and Charlotte explore the wild side of Tokyo's hot spots. Pot parties, pachinko parlours, and karaoke. If you listen carefully, there are hidden messages in their choice of songs. They hate the way their lives have become stuck in a rut of mediocrity, and will do anything to break free. The scene where they sit outside the party and just sit there in silence is a good way of showing that even in a crowded room, they still seek each other out.
Spending more and more time together, they begin to share deeper confidences. Does marriage get any easier? What is important in life? The fact there aren't any easy answers only shows how astute Sofia Coppola's writing is.
Bill Murray gives arguably his best performance since Groundhog Day. These are both similar films because of the way Murray is integral to their success. Bob Harris may as well be Bill Murray. Two middle aged actors who are at a turning point in their careers, and unsure of what to do next.
Scarlett Johansson is equally impressive in her breakout role. She conveys all the right emotions of a young woman coming to grips with the harsh realities of married life, and generates an astonishing level of nuances with Bill Murray in terms of their relationship. She is quickly becoming one of my favourite actresses.
Some of the observations about Japanese culture could seem borderline racist to some people. A demanding director, a camp TV presenter and a very odd masseuse spring to mind. But looked at beyond a superficial level, that is perhaps necessary to help establish the atmosphere of alienation and dislocation.
Bob and Charlotte clearly have quite an impact on each other. Observe Bob's clumsy attempts to broaden his dialogue with his wife, or to willingly appear on a TV show that makes no sense to him. When he sleeps with a singer from the bar, you always feel like he's cheated on Charlotte instead of his wife.
The scene in the sushi bar is very tense, and is the first real indication of animosity between these two. Of course they patch things up when the fire alarm goes off (possibly by Bob) and they share a last meal together.
Then comes the day when they part company. That is such a fantastic scene because it crackles with sexual intensity just waiting to explode. The most talked about scene is when Bob whispers something in Charlotte's ear, but we don't hear it. It could have been any number of things, but I like to think its if Charlotte is ever feeling this lonely again, to come and find Bob.
A touching, bittersweet ending to an unusual, understated romance that is all the more effective for its subtlety. You will need a fair bit of patience, because the pacing can seem deceptively slow. But given a chance, the crisp editing and keenly observed nuances will show you why Lost in Translation is hailed as a modern classic.