Film Liquet on Lost in Translation

Rating: 7/10 (7 November 2018)

An American movie star (Bill Murray) and a young, married college graduate (Scarlett Johansson) are both stuck in Japan, not knowing a word of Japanese, they seem to be lost in translation, as the title suggests; however, it seems that they are out of place with both Japanese people and foreigners. One day, not able to sleep they encounter each other in the hotel and their friendship begins. The film portrays an experience that most people can relate to, the feeling of not belonging and being lost (whether in life or abroad). Edited with a lot of jump cuts and focusing on making the viewing experience seem alienating, Coppola based much of the story on her experiences in Japan.
Aesthetically, the film shows many different sides of Japanese culture, showing both the youth filled night streets lit by neon, and the hard working adult environments during the day. The shots are well done, some intentionally done handheld to relate to the characters and some completely still to focus on them or their actions. The film was shot in an improvised, almost documentary style manner and the Director of Photography (Lance Acord) minimised the usage of artificial lights, not using the conventional Hollywood way of shooting, in order to maximise the realistic setting. This way it feels simple and alive, allowing you to see yourself in the characters and feel them.
There are no subtitles present, to put the audience in the same conditions as the protagonists of the film, absolutely lost and without an idea of what to do. Nonetheless, the film is an absolute pleasure to watch and it makes you think and question your life and your purpose in it.