Offensive and overrated

Rating: Null/10 (17 September 2004)

A lot of reviewers here have remarked on how "boring" this film is. It IS boring, but the way I see it, that's only the beginning of the problems with this movie.
I found it offensive the way this film portrayed Japanese people. From the bizarre, creepy behavior of the female masseuse to the hyperactive photo shoot director, this film seems to delight in poking fun at the Japanese. (Never mind the fact that the depictions have no basis in reality and are, in fact, based on shallow, inaccurate American stereotypes of the way the Japanese supposedly behave).
As far as Bob Harris's "plight," I found it hard to understand, relate to, or even care about. This is someone who seems completely miserable and like a fish out of water in a totally alien and foreign culture. The problem is, it's hard to have sympathy for his character. After all, this already-rich character is getting paid $2 million for a few days of "work," (which in his case means sitting in a studio being photographed for a few minutes).
It's hard to care at all about either Bob Harris or Charlotte. Neither character has anything interesting to say. Neither character makes the slightest effort to connect to their new surroundings. Neither can be bothered to even learn a couple of Japanese phrases (although Harris is constantly annoyed that the Japanese can't always speak perfect, fluent English).
Harris is, in fact, a major jerk. He can't either be bothered to chat a few minutes with a couple of fans in the hotel bar. (One thing that always annoys me about Hollywood prima donnas is that they tend to forget who signs their paychecks). Speaking of the hotel bar, Harris seems to spend most of his time there, wallowing in his "misery," instead of getting out and exploring his surroundings. (Which is a shame. I know from experience that Tokyo is in fact the world's most exciting and fascinating city---it makes LA or New York seem positively dull).
I also found it hard to relate on any level to the Charlotte character. Scarlett Johansson drifts through this film with a vacant, deer-in-the-headlights expression. She simply doesn't seem very bright--and she, like her co-star, makes absolutely no effort to connect in any way with her surroundings. In fact, I've traveled with people like her in the past (they're the ones who're always wondering where the nearest McDonald's is in places like Europe). In short, they're boring folks, and I certainly have little desire to see such people depicted in a film.
Speaking of which, I can't comprehend why this film garnered such rave reviews. I can only guess that it has something to do with the fact that Hollywood is so completely creatively bankrupt these days.
Either we get films based on comic books or video games or 1960s TV series, or we get mindless explosions and violence. If you're looking for a film that doesn't have a target audience of adolescent boys, it's pretty slim pickings these days. So a "serious" film like "Translation" isn't exactly faced with a lot of competition.
Bottom line: I absolutely despised this film. Hollywood is so in-bred and disconnected these days. I really wonder if the studio honchos have ever considered bringing in some fresh, outside talent.
Just because you're the daughter of a major film-maker doesn't mean you have talent. And on the basis of "Translation" Coppola should find another line of work (although with her inherited millions, I suppose she doesn't need to work at all, really).