A wonderful feel-good movie

Rating: 10/10 (8 November 2006)

I had wanted to see this film after all it's Oscar-buzz a couple of years ago. I finally had the chance to watch it on cable last night. I fell in love with it. It's not conventional by any stretch of Hollywood standards, but what it does show is that having great actors is important when the script itself doesn't have a whole lot of dialogue.
Bill Murray is an actor coming to Tokoyo to make Scotch commercials, after once being a successful actor. Scarlett Johanssen is the wife of a photographer, deciding to come on the trip to Japan with her new husband. One is a middle-aged man with previous success and the other is a early 20s college grad. However both are stuck as to what direction to take next in their lives. They both find each other and explore an exciting country they know nothing about and discuss their lives.
The acting is great between Murray and Johanssen because it's the words they say in their facial expressions. Sophia Coppolla often uses long unbroken takes between the two having a conversation. Murray has mastered the speaking without words aspect of acting. Johanssen shows what sets her apart from the new actresses in Hollywood, I give her a pass on The Black Dahlia. She's great at expressing feelings with her eyes. Of course there is the creeping thought in the back of your mind that it's a love story and they will both have an affair. Well this is where Coppola goes against convention. A trap that could easily be fallen into in Hollywood is avoided. Each provides honesty and friendship for the other. They cling to each other because they are alone in a strange land they know very little about.
Sofia Coppola shows she has inherited great qualities from her dad in her directorial debut. As mentioned the long takes in the dialogue and great scenery shots of Tokoyo. Also like her father, she isn't afraid to have silence in scenes. A good chunk of the film takes place in the hotel in which the two are staying, including a bar/lounge. From inside the hotel the outside beauty of the city is shown through these great big windows.
I loved this film, I'm just sorry I missed it during its run years ago.