Recently shown on Channel 4 was the cult movie ‘Lost in Translation’ directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.
The story is a complex and emotional look into love, friendship and life in general.
Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is an over the hill movie star visiting Japan to film a commercial as part of a last ditch attempt at some kind of time in front of the camera. Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) is the bored young wife of a photographer.
The two bump into eachother and soon begin to talk. Both lonely and realising that the language barrier between themselves and most of the locals is proving a problem they find themselves thrown together as travelling companions and quickly form a strong friendship.
I can guarantee that this is a movie that you will either completely love, or hate with a passion. Some people have said that they dislike it because the movie “doesn’t go anywhere” and “nothing really happens” but others, like myself think that the movie is actually a pretty realistic portrayal of life as it really is, not how the movies make it out to be.
The friendship formed between Bob and Charlotte is intense and yet at the same time incredibly ordinary. It works because they need each other, Charlotte needs to feel wanted and Bob, whose marriage is not in great shape just needs someone who can relate to him and who genuinely wants to listen to what he has to say.
They are both literally lost in translation and their chance meeting provides them with what they need at the time.
Don’t expect an all action movie if you sit down to watch Lost in translation, but if you take it for what it really is, an honest and simple movie about ordinary lives then I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Great performances from both the lead stars make this well worth spending a couple of hours watching.
Full cast list for Lost In Translation: Akiko Monou, Akiko Takeshita, Akimitsu Naruyama, Akira, Akira Motomura, Akira Yamaguchi, Anna Faris, Asuka Shimuzu, Bill Murray, Catherine Lambert, Daikon, Diamond Yukai, Dietrich Bollmann, Francis du Bois, Fumihiro Hayashi, Georg O.P. Eschert, Giovanni Ribisi, Gregory Pekar, Hiroko Kawasaki, Hiromi Toshikawa, Hiroshi Kawashima, Hugo Codaro, Ikuko Takahashi, Jun Maki, Kanako Nakazato, Kazuko Shibata, Kazuo Yamada, Kazuyoshi Minamimagoe, Kei Takyo, Koichi Tanaka, Kunichi Nomura, Lisle Wilkerson, Mark Willms, Nao Asuka, Nao Kitman, Nobuhiko Kitamura, Osamu Shigematu, Richard Allen, Ryo Kondo, Ryuichiro Baba, Scarlett Johansson, Shigekazu Aida, Takashi Fujii, Take, Tetsuro Naka, Tim Leffman, Yasuhiko Hattori, Yuji Okabe, Yumi Ikeda, Yumika Saki.