Give It A Second Chance, If Needed

Rating: 8/10 (17 February 2008)

I admit I found it disappointing on the first look but I decided to give it a second chance and was glad I did. Only then did I appreciate Bill Murray's great performance and the wonderful photography in this movie. The vivid colors in here are really something to see. It's odd how some movies are so much better the second time around.
This is a very, very low key film about loneliness and about being in a culture that is totally foreign to you where few people speak your language. In this case, it's Americans - or at least the main character of film (Bill Murray) - trying to cope in Japan.
The film is almost two-in-one: a travelogue and a story. The former because you really get the feel of what it is like to be a non-Japanese speaking person in that country and what the customs of the people are in Japan, at least to some degree....and it's interesting.
Murray is the star of the story and any plaudits he's received for his performance are well- deserved. His facial expressions alone are classic! Scarlet Johannson is the female lead and she, too, is interesting to watch. These two make for a fascinating "odd couple."