LOST IN TRANSLATION

Director: Sophia Coppolla (The Virgin Suicides, daughter of famous wine producer)
Starring: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johannson

This film, Sofia Coppola's second major motion picture, was simply a delight. Her debut, THE VIRGIN SUICIDES, showed glimpes of real talent, but as a whole (and especially the thematic material), it didn't quite come together. This film is a far more mature and successful effort. It's a simple and quiet love story between two regretfully married people lost in life and lost in a foreign culture.

The setting is Tokyo, probably one of the more foreign cultures from ours on earth. Most of the important scenes take place in bland hotel rooms and hotel bars. The remarkable achievment of this film is in its truth. Bill Murray gives the best performance of his career in a subdued role as a middle aged movie star, worn down by his marriage, spending a week alone in Japan to make some money doing product advertisments. Scarlett Johansson also gave a fine performance as a directionless college graduate who came along to Tokyo when her husband's work brought him there for a few weeks. These two find each other while in their marriages that don't seem to make sense, and in the isolating Japanese culture that does likewise. Wonderfully, there is no white-hot passion, just love, and it's a joy to see.

Technically, the movie was well made with a number of fine shots, including one I won't forget of a golf course in the shadow of an enormous Mount Fuji. A very, very well done film, with the choice of Bill Murray as the lead a stroke of genious. I don't know if he needed to act for this role, or not, but he was the character on the screen. The negative aspect of the film is that I tend to doubt that it will warrant much repeat viewing (usually what distinguishes the better movies from the chaff), the enjoyment of this movie may be more like a rainbow - wonderful, but fleeting. Nonetheless, I can't claim that the rainbow wasn't beautiful in the first place.

Standouts: Excellent across the board - writing, direction, acting, tone, atmosphere.
Blowouts: Unikely to live on as a great film. Not exciting enough to bear much repeat viewing.

Grade: A