A very sweet and evocative film--but I might have one qualifying criticism

Rating: Null/10 (22 September 2003)

Congratulations to Sofia Coppola for demonstrating two sides to her rapidly maturing cinematic talents in this beautifully shot and well-written film. The leads, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johannson, also do a fine job, showing wonderful restraint and thereby conveying the characters' deep and gloomy sense of isolation that the movie absolutely demands if it is to work. Murray has never been better, I think. Visually the film is often simply stunning, there are some extremely funny sequences, and very effective use of music, both background and foreground. The karaoke stuff is especially telling, as personal revelation. And the plot avoided some pitfalls that might have tempted other filmmakers, with regard to the outcome of the relationship between the principals. My one question--and it is just a question, I have no answer--is whether or not the film will offend the sensibilities of Japanese and Japanese-American viewers. In any case, this viewer thoroughly enjoyed every moment.