A beautiful movie about relationships

Rating: Null/10 (20 February 2004)

Sofia Coppola is definitely following in the steps of her father in making outstanding films. This movie has a lot more to say than you would notice at a glance. I talked to quite a few people that only saw it as a film about some average people that couldn't understand the language in Tokyo. I got a lot more out of it than that. For instance, take the relationship between Scarlett Johansson and Giovanni Ribisi; She was constantly talking to him and trying to get him to be more passionate about their relationship, but he was too caught up in his on life to be able to hear her; Lost in translation. Then there was Bill Murray talking to his wife. She was obviously fed up with him being so involved with his work and apathetic towards her. But he felt like there was no "flame" in their relationship and longed for more, something deeper. She couldn't hear his cries because she was caught up in her day-to-day life with the kids and decorating the house. And he couldn't hear her cries cause he was caught up in looking for something more out of life; Lost in translation. Then we have the situation with the director of the whisky commercial. He was going into great detail about what Murray needed to do in the commercial and the translator was only relaying the "bullet points" of what he said with no emotions or gestures or emphasis. She cut out all of the passion in what he said; Lost in translation. So there are a few examples of what went on in the movie and here is what I think Coppola was getting at when she wrote it; How often do things that we say or do get misinterpreted because we don't take time to explain ourselves, or we are caught up in other things and don't say what we really mean? How many people hit a "mid life crisis" because they realize all of the sudden that their life is full of meaningless petty stuff? People get so caught up in work and all of their responsibilities that they forget the true meaning and value of life. We often take it for granted that we are even alive. Any one of us could die at any moment, but most of us can't take the time to be patient with the new cashier at the coffee joint, or tell their family that they love them and appreciate them, or realize that life is a beautiful thing and we should live it as if each moment were our last. I think the bottom line here is that so many people get too busy to be passionate about life, family, friends, love, natural beauty, etc. We were put on this earth to live passionately. That's what it's all about. Some people never realize that. Some realize it about midway through life, hence the term. Maybe I am reading too much into it. True he should not have cheated on his wife in any way, but I don't think that is what the movie is all about. Murray wasn't a hero in the movie. He failed in some ways, but there was still something beautiful about what he and Johansson realized even if it was surrounded by some sketchy circumstances. A lot of things in life ARE surrounded by sketchy circumstances. It's what we do with them that count. Everyone has the power to change the course of their life, regardless of the mistakes they have made in the past. In short, this was a beautiful film. I highly recommend seeing it.