I loved this movie

Rating: Null/10 (26 June 2004)

I've read through the comments on this site and I think several people may have missed the point. In fact, I read some of the comments and thought "did these people see the same movie?"
This was a beautiful movie. The cinematography was stunning. And it wasn't just the fact that it was Japan that made it stunning - I live in New York, I'm used to lights, and flash, and crowds..... A lot of people have commented on the stereotypes of Japanese culture - the "l" for the "r", the "Vegas" atmosphere.... yadda yadda. But it's the use of those things (stereotypical though they may be), and the alternating slowness and hurry of the film that give it such resonance, particularly for those of us from Western cultures.
The beauty comes through from more than just the pictures. It's both a love story and a coming of age story (to quote a prior comment). These things aren't mutually exclusive. And revelation is not the point. The restraint that another person commented on is part of the beauty. We've all been there. Life is complicated. Touching another person, either physically or emotionally, is complicated. But there's a simplicity to the relationship between Charlotte and Bob that belies the complexity of human relationships. Touching another person is also simple.
I cried at the end. The final scene between Charlotte and Bob was perfect. The jealousy Charlotte felt was perfect. If they had had more, it would have been less of a movie. We all expect the protagonists to come together at the end. But they can't and they won't and that's what makes the relationship so real and wonderful. Throughout this movie, you can't help but think that these two have more in common with each other than anyone else - that's why their spouses have to be such marginal figures in the film. They are soulmates, however little they know each other. They recognize each other. And we - those of us who have ever felt the loneliness of crowds, who have ever felt apart and adrift - recognize it too. You, as a film-goer, want them to be together. You're conditioned by the story to want that. But life is equally that simple and equally that complicated.
I completely adored this movie. When I saw The Virgin Suicides I thought that Sofia Coppola might be a genius. Now I know that she is. I'm sure she would be uncomfortable with the moniker, but I hope that she continues making movies. Because I love movies of any sort, but I've never been more touched and moved than I have been from hers.
And, dear Lord, would that I could have her ability to find the most amazing soundtracks.