Lost in Translation

"It's Suntory time..." Melancholy in its purest cinematic form. Scarlett is wonderful, but the clear driving force of the film is the incredibly natural Bill Murray. Sensitively filmed and with an absolutely great atmosphere that completely absorbs you and does not let you go until the closing credits. (22/01/2007)

I was very curious to see how Sofia Coppola fared and I was looking forward to her top work so far. And I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. The film beautifully depicts the contrast between the usual, to which our heroes have been accustomed all their lives, and the exotic Japanese jungle, where their lonely souls seem far removed from their awkward and tormented bodies. Bill Murray is terrific, utterly convincing and charming as the bored movie star, and I have to say that he probably deserved the Oscar more than Sean Penn did for Mystic River. Even Scarlett Johansson, in one of her first big roles, proved that she’s not just a pretty face, but an extremely talented actress, and that she’s a more than capable co-star for the great Murray. It is the two of them, and the perfect chemistry between them, that greatly contribute to the flawless direction and make Lost in Translation one of the most enjoyable films ever made on a similar subject. There wasn't much missing, and even I was swept away to a full review. (23/10/2012)

Yes, this movie is not bad in my opinion... However, it is by no means as good as the enthusiastic applause of critics and some viewers would suggest. Lost in Translation arrived at the right time with a style that was in demand. Viewers and especially critics were simply tired of high-budget productions packed with digital special effects and action and longed for a more civil, cultured expression. It is not a comedy in the true sense of the word, there are few purely humorous situations, and if they do appear, they are the ones that bring a smile to the lips, certainly not laughter. Much more than that, it is an unfulfilled love story between unequal partners without a real perspective. The film's strengths lie in the performances of the main pair and the script, which draws on knowledge of the film industry and Japanese culture. On the other hand, I have seen much stronger films on a similar theme and did not find anything exceptional in this film. Some scenes are so drawn out that they can even be boring... It gets a weak 4 stars from me and an overall impression of 70%. (13/08/2007)

The film ended and left me with mixed a feeling of utter bliss and sadness at the same time. Sofia Coppola tells this story from Japan very slowly, brilliantly portraying the atmosphere of a country that is linguistically and culturally very different. Two "lost" people meet in a hotel, feeling lonely and in need of communication, of listening to each other. They feel affection for each other and they both play it well, especially Bill Murray, whose performance is enhanced by the fact that his role is so different from any of his previous ones. You won't see any passionate kisses or tears running down faces, yet, or maybe that's why the two of them have an unusual spark. You won't laugh much, nor will you feel emotionally blackmailed, this film is neither a romance nor a comedy. Genre-wise, it's impossible to classify and the most appropriate simile I can think of is that it's just a beautiful film. A beautiful intimate story of two people, sometimes underlined by sad ambient music. Sofia Coppola's relationship with her famous father proves that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. After the second viewing, I literally fell in love with this film. (30/01/2004)

This very sweet and unforced film about falling in platonic love perhaps could not have been written and directed without living through a similar experience. Lost in Translation is harmoniously fluid, without a single cliché of the romance genre, with an atypical and yet pleasantly well-coordinated couple, sincere dialogue and a minimalist conclusion with a stronger emotional impact than even the great romantic classics offer. “The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you let things upset you”. (05/06/2021)