Style, substance and texture

Rating: Null/10 (12 January 2004)

Lost in Translation didn't offer much in the trailers, but delivered so much more on the big screen.
It is a highly sensual film, laden with texture, light, reflection and colour. I felt that the one scene (hopefully not giving too much away) involving carpet samples was a very clever allegory. You can reach out and touch Tokyo in this film, you can smell the air.
The relationship that develops between Scarlett Johannsenn and Bill Murray is intriguing and touching, tense and emotional, and both appearances are superb - Bill Murray is gripping.
The only potential criticism of this film is that it is racist, portraying the Japanese in a one dimensional manner and Japan in an unfair light.
This is a technically brilliantly executed film from all perspectives, but I feel it would lose much on the small screen.