Some good, some bad, all-in-all not the movie of the year

Rating: 6/10 (19 February 2004)

After watching this movie, I had a feeling of confusion. I thought to myself, "is this really the great piece of American film work that everyone is talking about?" Personally, I do not think that this is one of those top 10 movies. The movie had a very low-key tone that, at times, felt long and boring. I was a little befuddled about Charlotte and Bob's relationship as by the end as throughout the movie it seems to waver. But its a unique relationship and its a little refreshing to see something a little different, one based on shared boredom and loneliness. However, its frustrating at the same time because you cannot figure out what direction they are taking next.
Besides from that, you can really relate to their loneliness throughout the entire movie. I had a little added enjoyment because of my experiences in Japanese class where I had to listen to my teacher babble in Japanese and every once in a while speak in broken English. In this respect I can REALLY relate to the characters. The background shots of Tokyo are well done and add to the tone of being lost in a crowd and alone. Also, Bill Murray fits the part of Bob like a glove and was enjoyable to watch.

Although this movie was beautifully made, its not particularly exciting and is in need of some direction as it just feels flat throughout. I give it 6.5/10 since it was professionally made, but really falls short in terms of a great/interesting story. Maybe on a second run-through, I might appreciate more things.