lost - location, words and direction

Rating: 9/10 (20 February 2008)

With the over-development of materialistic cravings, 'Lost In Translation' examines the loneliness and search for oneself of two Americans in a city different in culture but similar in spirit  Tokyo.
As with her latest flick  'Marie-Antoinette', Sofia Coppolla tells about human dazzlement and frustration in life, and the inclination to use physical engagement to conceal those feelings. This time, the setting has changed from the extravagant Versailles to the highly-advanced Tokyo.
The story started with Bob Harris (Bill Murray)  a middle-aged regressed movie star arriving in Tokyo for a Sunatory wine advertisement shooting. On a sleepless night, he met Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson)  a fresh graduate who was accompanying her newly-wed and hyperactive photographer husband to a business trip. They shared the strange insomnia abroad. Looking for a way to kill time, they joined hands in exploration of this bizarre city. During the 5 days, they exchanged their frustrations and puzzlement in life.
Bringing with them discontentedness, in Tokyo, Bob and Charlotte left their comfort zone and are faced solely with themselves. They had a big cultural shock, literally no friends, they couldn't sleep  they didn't know why. Deep in their heart, they knew it was hollowness. In the perfect setting of Tokyo, they experienced many local entertainments (from slot-machine to table-dance) and literally slept because of physical tiredness. The 7 days was no happy vacation, it was a cycle of think-stuck-play-sleep.
Sofia Coppolla was successful in bringing out the cultural shock by painting the overwhelmingly-bustling side of Tokyo. The miniature and high-tech where the Japanese culture executes in a fast pace gives us a slight discomfort  if we are not watching the film like another episode of the Lonely Planet. The gigantic brightly-lit advertisements, dense skyscrapers, the short shower makes every experience a dense one, if not eccentric. Compiled with the excellent soundtrack, it only made the whole atmosphere more of a confusion. The dreamy electronic music captures the soul of the movie. It unsynchronized beats and tone drives away from pop-music popular in city scenes, and the soul of the listener too. In fact, as with Sofia Coppolla's other works, she makes a perfect blend of the far-fectched indie and lo-fi music into our imagination. Pointing to this aspect, the movie is an usual gem that introduces audiences to culture in a wider ground.
Though not stated, the movie portrays how modern people lost themselves in face of contentedness. The contentedness comes from the societal expectations, they follow a routine to happiness, they succeed. However, it does not last, the wanted to run after what they really crave. To take such a step takes courage, they constantly lack it. This is frustration, but when they are used to it, they accept it.
The combination of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson creates great chemistry. Bill Murray, as in 'The Broken Flowers'  did an excellent job in playing a cynical mid-aged men used to frustrations in life. The prophetic yet emotionless eyes tell all about 'Bob's mind. At moments that ridicule Japanese oddness, we could echo Bob's contempt simply by looking at his eyes. Scarlett Johansson made a refreshing performance. Both her eyes and body language plays Charlotte who is still searching for her path. When Charlotte is in doubt, she approaches Bob, and then Bob sees exactly himself in it. Their expression of the friendship, understanding and illusioned love.
The scene that gives us a taste of true cultural shock and language difficulties was the shooting of the Sunatory ad. Where Bob was asked through the translator by the Japanese director to add more intensity. He looked totally puzzled. At that moment, even those who find this soul-searching movie boring would couldn't help but laugh aloud.
'Lost In Translation'  aptly named, is a story about lost in location, for words, and for direction. This film may be totally clueless to some of the movie-goers. It actually brings forward the confusion that everyone of us face or shall face. Above pondering on the big question, we may also feast our eyes on the breath-taking beauty of Scarlett Johansson and the scenic Japan. This is definitely a trip worth-making.