Looking beneath the surface

Rating: Null/10 (22 October 2003)

Reading some of the unfavorable reviews here made me realize how over- conditioned to the typical Hollywood formula many filmgoers are. While I don't think "Lost in Translation" is perfect, it is a refreshing change from the cookie- cutter mainstream romantic comedies that usually flood the market. Yes, the Bill Murray/Scarlett Johanssen relationship is not defined by witty sitcom dialogue, musical cues or tidy resolutions. It's depicted in a far more real, believable way.
These are two lonely and searching people who connect on a level not conveniently communicated by their conversations or through formulaic sex. It's mysterious and ambiguous, like many profound relationships are. This is definitely a movie about what lies beneath the surface, in a city and country where the surface is often gaudy and over-the-top. I found myself wanting just a teeny bit more of a plotline, but perhaps that shows my own conditioning. "Lost in Translation" offers something that is much deeper.