An below average plot that can bore even those that like slower paced movies.

Rating: 1/10 (10 March 2004)

Watching this movie was almost torture it moved so slow and I kept hoping it would get better. I don't think since the English Patient have I been more disappointed after some have hyped this movie. I saw this after the Oscars and was hoping it would win since I wanted to see Bill Murray say something funny up there and Sofia just seems like an interesting person. But WOW after finally viewing this I am at a lost of words that some would even call this "Hilarious" it was slightly amusing in one or two scenes, but doesn't excuse the weak plot. Bob Harris Bill Murray's character in the movie is so shallow and uninterested in everyone and everything from talking to his family to pretty much all the Japanese people, to even the admiring Americans in the bar. He spends most of the movie making cracks or smirks about everything, he is usually much better at this in other movies however. Then we have Scarlett Johansson's character, Charlotte who is just as bored and lonely as Bob, but is at least a little more likable, she is shot in her underwear throughout the movie, a cheap way to keep people interested in a otherwise borefest of a movie, she stares hopelessly out the window. At one point she is in tears on the phone yet it is never understood why she is so unhappy living what seems to be an extremely privileged life in a new marriage with a husband that is just slightly busy with work. The only thing that they share is being bored,lonely and slightly hot for each other in Japan, "oh boy what storytelling". I don't really wanna touch the stereotype issues, but if you love laughing at certain stereotypes of certain races or minorities maybe you will love this film or as long as the jokes not on you. So whether you are a young grasshopper or an old grasshopper be wise and avoid this turd,the most overhyped movie of the last 10 years.