Stunning

Rating: Null/10 (14 June 2004)

''Lost in Translation'' is the film which brought Bill Murray back into the public eye. His performance as the dissatisfied with life Bob Harris is a companion to the equally unhappy Herman J Blume in Rushmore (1999)and, like in Rushmore, Murray is a revalation, giving life to a character whom is tired of it.
The early scenes where Bob is doing advertising photographs for the Suntory Whiskey are hilarious and showcase Murray's talent for dead pan humour but the film becomes magical once he and Charlotte (the equally impressive Scarlett Johansson)begin to sample the Tokyo nightlife. Scenes in the Karoke bar and the hospital exchange between Bob and the little boy are wonderful and what is more appealing is Coppola's willingness to let the characters slowly develop from at first annoying and melancholic to warm and inviting and she avoids the cliche of them ending up in bed one drunken night.

Though the film has it's flaws, the characterisation of Giovani Ribisi's John is limited and Murray's one night stand with a maid serves no purpose. But forget the jabs about Japanese stereotypes and enjoy a film best described as 'Brief Encounter for the Millenium' (Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian.