LOST IN TRANSLATION

US, 2003, 105 minutes, Colour.
Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris.
Directed by Sofia Coppola.

Lost in Translation is the second feature film from Francis Ford Coppola's daughter Sofia (who appeared in his Godfather III). Her first film was The Virgin Suicides with Kirsten Dunst. This is a change of pace, a comedy set in Tokyo but a wistful look at a young married who is feeling neglected by her husband and on a middle-aged man who is a successful star but is suffering all the doubts of mid-life and twenty-five years of marriage.

There are a lot of very funny comedy scenes in the film, especially with Bill Murray as centre. The hospitality, the garish nature of Tokyo life, the media, the courtesy of the woman sent for massage to the room_ Bill Murray gives the best performance for many years as the middle-aged man, Bob Harris. Scarlett Johansson is also very good as the wistful, Yale graduate, who after two years of marriage has not settled down. Giovanni Ribisi appears briefly as her photographer husband. Anna Faris appears as a starlet who gives one of the most inane press conferences about her work with Keanu Reeves. Written by Sofia Coppola, the comedy is good, the insights into the relationship between men and women is fine. The film is also strong because it focuses on friendship rather than immediate sexual fulfilment. This gives the film a depth in terms of people understanding one another, sharing experiences and enabling friendship to transform them.

1. The impact of the film? As comedy? As drama? As mid-life crisis and romance? A satisfying combination of all these perspectives?

2. The film in Tokyo, the bright lights, the garish atmosphere, the people, the busyness? The American-style hotel, the bar, the lounge singer? The rooms and hospitality? Japanese courtesies, gifts, politeness? The irony of the woman sent for the massage? Things happening automatically with the technology in Japan? The contrast with Kyoto, its quiet, religious sense, the wedding ceremony? The contrast with Japanese flower arrangements and the old style courtesies compared with the video game parlours, the mad talk shows? The enigma of contemporary Japan, given its past? The musical score, the range of songs? In the lounge, as background?

3. The title and its insight into the differences between cultures, in language, manners? The joke with the commercials director and his long talk and the brief translation? The different pronunciation of L and R? Interpreting people's behaviour?

4. The film's focus on Bob Harris, his arrival in Japan, middle-aged, sad? His interior turmoil? His serious demeanour? The hotel arrival, the courtesies and his response? Being tall in the elevator? His room, the bar, the singing? The entourage to take him to the studio, the posters around the city, his performance in the commercial, the director and the translator and his comic responses? The invitation to do the talk show? His going to the photo session, having to take various poses, like the Rat Pack, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra? To be 007, especially Roger Moore? His doing what was asked but its effect on him? His spending time in the bar? His first noticing Charlotte and her smile in the elevator? Her giving him the drink? Their meeting, discussions? The going out together, to the raucous music and their being pursued down the street with the man with the gun? The striptease centre and their leaving? The discussions, his telling his life story, her telling hers? Her comments on his needs? His wife, the faxes in the night, the phone calls, the choice of the colour for the study? His children and one running into another room but not talking to her father on the phone? The cumulative effect, his understanding of himself, sleepless, watching television? The emergency in the hotel, going downstairs, meeting Charlotte? Their sharing discussions in the bedroom, understanding, watching La Dolce Vita? His departure, ringing for her, his jacket left with her (and the meaning of this)? His night with the singer and Charlotte seeing it? Getting in the car, going to the airport, glimpsing her, chasing her in the street, the kiss, the final farewell, his smile and going back home? His future?

5. The contrast with Charlotte and her age, the immediate opening of the film with her lying on the bed? Her relationship with John, two years of marriage, his being busy, his thinking she was a snob because of her degree? His going to work, leaving her, sitting on the windowsill, unable to sleep, his snoring? The chance meeting with Kelly, her exuberance, her taking the stage name of Evelyn Waugh and Charlotte's comment? The boredom, unable to do anything, her inability to write, wanting to make decisions about her life? The discussions with Bob, each life story? Her taking him out, their time together? The discussion in the room, the profound understanding between the two, a strong quality of friendship? His night with the singer? The emergency, their being downstairs, the final discussion? The goodbye, his following her in the street, the satisfaction of the farewell? Her future, with John or not?

6. John, the photographer, busy, loving his wife, yet not understanding her, not supportive? His going away for a couple of days, the fax of love for her?

7. Kelly, the starlet, the gush when meeting John and Charlotte, the inane comments at the press conference about Keanu Reeves and Los Angeles? Her singing in the bar?

8. The presentation of the Japanese, the modern raucous Japanese, the film director, the star of the talk show? The contrast with the business people, their gifts, courtesies, everything arranged? And the contrast with the massage woman - and the comedy of the entanglement with Bob? The mixed feelings towards Japan and its culture?

9. The contrast with Kyoto, its serenity, its past? The marriage? Charlotte and her feelings of peace? (Contrasting with the glib sentences overheard about Buddhism, reincarnation and Japan?)

10. A satisfying look at human relationships? The possibility of people understanding themselves better while in an alien culture and away from home? The demands made on them to understand themselves better?