Midlife crisis by a thirty year old? Gimme a break

Rating: Null/10 (8 May 2004)

Let's get things straight right out of the box, I liked this movie, to an extent. It's funny, charming, and enjoyable. However, it's also a movie that tries to be wise about things it has no business being wise about. It tries to be wise about inter-cultural relationship, it's not. If it's supposed to display the American arrogance it does it in a way too self-indulgent manner. If it's not supposed to show it, much worse.
It also tries to be wise about a woman who feels lonely sitting in her hotel room all day, but has friends in Tokyo who party out all night, have their own private bars and Karaoke rooms, and generally don't seem to be the kind of people who feel lonely anywhere. Talk about plot holes.
It tries to be wise about a midlife crisis, it's not. Don't get me wrong, Bill Murray is great, but that's just him, and the scene comedy. Everything else is way over the top. The terrible wife, the bar, the ad scenes, the stupid actress, the "past her prime" singer. There are REAL reasons for mid-life depression, they might not be as funny, but what Coppola does here is WAY too obvious. What makes it worse is that it's being displayed in a way of saying "believe me". The movie isn't drawn out as a caricature, why so many caricature elements done half-heartedly? It's as if Coppola couldn't decide whether to be subtle or over obvious in a positive sense. There's too much cheap symbolism. It comes off as funny and charming, but only stupid people will think it's REAL. The greatest comedy is always in reality, but only someone who has experienced it can display it. There's a reason that age and wisdom are supposed to go together. What I see in "Lost in Translation" is very obviously fake experience. Coppola wants to play with the big boys (and girls), but falls short because she can't compete with real experience. It's not a catastrophe (hey, it's not like she doesn't know Walmart), but it's not really a triumph, either. The sad thing is, with the quality of movies out there right now, LIT comes off as a relief, and that's really not a good thing (for the other movies).
So what's good about this movie: Despite the plot-holes, the characters and the dialogue, not even mentioning that a movie that takes it's own time instead of this fast-cut trash we see every day is just good by itself. Scarlett Johannson is refreshing as Charlotte, and comes off as quite genuine, acting-wise. Strangely enough her style reminded me of Owen Wilson, while that may not make her happy, it's not a bad thing. There something genuine and sincere about both of them that stands out among the hollywood cast of today. It seems like they don't waste time acting, and simply ARE. There are other great things about this movie. Despite lacking experience and trying to fake it, Coppola has a good eye for scenes, and it certainly didn't fail her. Take the swimming women bobbing about in the pool for instance, or the strange woman in the hospital. Those scenes are great, without all the faking.
So how to epitomise my ramblings? It's not a bad movie, but it's far from perfect. All I can say is, watch it, enjoy it, but don't let it fool you completely.