lost in translation bob harris is an american film actor far past his prime he visits tokyo to appear in commercials and he meets charlotte the young wife of a visiting photographer bored and weary bob and charlotte make ideal if improbable traveling companions charlotte is looking for her place in life and bob is tolerating a mediocre stateside marriage both separately and together they live the experience of the american in tokyo bob and charlotte suffer both confusion and hilarity due to the cultural and language differences between themselves and the japanese as the relationship between bob and charlotte deepens they come to the realization that their visits to japan and one another must soon end or must they