much to appreciate if we watch with an unbiased view

Rating: 6/10 (11 July 2005)

Set in the city of Tokyo, Lost in Translation introduces us to Bob, an alienated middle-aged actor, who meets an equally alienated young lady by the name of Charlotte. Their shared unease and anxiety stem from their unfamiliar surroundings and their displaced families. This film describes how they find modest relief through their encounter.
Director Sofia Coppola produced this film on the basis of her own experience in Tokyo. Inspired by the mood and view of the city, LiT is a record of what she perceived and felt, honestly described from her delicate point of view. The Tokyo she depicts is inorganic and also creates a stateless atmosphere filled with neon and locked rooms, like a karaoke room and a parlor. She also includes comedy elements developed from what she found amusing and funny in Japan.
Some people criticize the way Japanese are portrayed in this film, arguing that they are portrayed too one dimensionally. Indeed there are some portraits that create unpleasant feelings and are not convincing. For example, the scene in which a woman suddenly comes into Bob's room and tries to seduce him goes too far, even if it is intended as a joke. Although non-Japanese viewers may be naively amused, some Japanese viewers may feel unpleasant and insulted.
On the other hand, the portrayal of Japan in this movie may be truthful to the experience of foreigners, who may at first find Japan queer, eccentric and mysterious. To see in the same country within a matter of days neon cyberpunk scenes in Tokyo along with traditional Kyoto temples and gardens must be striking for visitors. And scenes such as Bob's head jutting out of the crowd of small Japanese in an elevator can be seen almost anywhere there are westerners in Japan.
In the end this movie, though, is not about Japan and or about cultural differences but about alienation in a foreign environment. Bob and Charlotte, who share a sense of loss, could never be attracted to each other except in this kind of foreign environment. If they were in their homeland, they would live without being aware of a sense of loss for themselves and would not approach each other. Their encounter is possible and valuable because it takes place in a foreign environment in striking contrast to their own.
Lastly, the overall atmosphere of this film is very attractive. The scenery of the city is especially attractive, even to Japanese used to seeing it, and the music adds a tasteful and melancholic air. There is much to appreciate if we watch with an unbiased view.