Reviewed by: Joe

Directed by: Sofia Coppola

Produced by: Sofia Coppola & Ross Katz

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Anna Faris, Giovanni Ribisi, & Fumihiro Hayashi

Released: September 12th, 2003

Drama 1 hr. 45 min. This is the story of two Americans, a washed-up TV star (Murray) in town for a TV whiskey commercial shoot, and the (very) young wife (Johansson) of a photographer, who meet in Tokyo, Japan and end up spending a weekend hanging out there together on a "soul-searching mission."

You really know there is a serious flip-flop in the way Hollywood thinks now adays when one of the most highly anticipated films of the year is an “art-house” feature. Lost in Translation is the second directorial project from Sofia Coppola, the daughter of Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, after her critically praised debut, The Virgin Suicides. Another rising star associated with Translation, Scarlett Johansson, has given further interest in the project thanks to her powerful performances in other art-house films like The Man Who Wasn’t There and Ghost World. But if one had to pick out only one aspect that raised the most eyebrows concerning this film, it would have to be the involvement of comedian actor Bill Murray, best known for his hilarious performances in Ghostbusters and Caddyshack. Can an actor who is so embedded in the public consciousness as a comedian pull off a powerful dramatic performance? Looking back to the past for reference, the answer lies between both yes (Robin Williams) and no (Jim Carrey).

Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation is an art-house gem that shows that companionship can be found in the most unlikely of places and gives emotional hope for those looking for it. The feature’s entire emotional emphasis rides on the chemistry of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson and it works exceedingly well, beyond what even the most star-studded major release this year has done, which gives further complimentary criticism to the duo. But, as with most films, along with the good comes the bad as well. As was said previously, the Japanese background compliments the story of the film exceptionally but at times there were awkward moments that weren’t necessarily needed, such as the scene with Murray’s character sitting alone in a Japanese strip club waiting for Charlotte. And the ending, though expected, left the audience with the lingering feeling of being a bit of a downer after such an emotionally uplifting story. But all-in-all, Lost in Translation rides on the shoulders of its leading stars to an emotional and fulfilling performance.