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Lost in Translation- The sleeper hit of the year
by Yahoo! Movies User (movies profile)
Jul 6, 2008
327
of
409 people found this review helpful
Synopsis:
Bob Harris (Bill Murray), is a washed up actor who goes to Tokyo to shoot a series of TV commercials for a whiskey company. Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) follows her photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi) to Tokyo for a business trip. Bob and Charlotte are in the same boat-- their friends and family are never really there for them, and they're sick of their everyday lives. They're staying at the same hotel, and eventually hook up to get away from it all. They go around together, and enjoy the wonders of Japan.
Review:
I went to see this movie earlier today, and man was it great! At a first glance, you might think that this movie is about romance. Well it's not! The movie is more about finding your inner self; your purpose in life. It's almost like "that friend you've always wanted." Someone who can listen to your problems, and a person who's there for you whenever you're feeling down. You can see this in the scene where Charlotte rests on Bob's shoulder. You can't really figure out your role in life unless you have someone who's mirroring your problems. The two were never really intimate in this movie; so don't be expecting bed scenes or anything. Even when Bob kisses Charlotte at the very end, it's a friendship kiss more than anything else. Most movies tend to end with the couple eventually hooking up, but that wasn't the case with Lost in Translation. I was very impressed with the theme of this movie, since you don't see a lot of movies that focus on something like this. It was an unpredictable movie from start to finish, and that's what I liked about it. Although, I was kind of disappointed with the ending, but I won't tell you what happens!
I like movies that know how to set the mood, and surely, this movie did a great job. The sounds of the cars and motorbikes passing by while Bob or Charlotte laid on their beds set the perfect gloomy atmosphere. The movie also did a wonderful job of grasping the environment of Japan, and it's culture. I actually felt like I was in Tokyo when I watched this movie; beautiful shots of the buildings made me feel nostalgic of the times when I was in Japan. They pretty much show everything that you can do in Japan-- from going to an arcade (They showed all of the Konami beat games!), karaoke bar, dance club, strip club, shinto shrine, etc. I was laughing when they showed some guy reading an adult hentai manga in the subway. They also capture some of the wackiness that Japan has to offer, like their crazy TV shows.
While the ending was somewhat disappointing, I still loved this movie. Well, I guess the ending wasn't necessarily disappointing, since there's a small hint that something might happen after the movie ends. The acting was great, and the friendship between Bob and Charlotte looked very believable. This movie makes you appreciate all the little things that Japan has to offer, and the message that it portrays is wonderful. I can relate Lost in Translation to my own personal life; I often feel like what Bob and Charlotte did in the beginning...and it just makes me want to go out and find a friend that I can lean on during my tough times. If you think this entire movie has a mellow atmosphere, then you're wrong. There's a bit of comedy, such as the part where Bob's curtains opened automatically in the morning. There were lots of parts where people were speaking Japanese, and the translator didn't exactly translate everything for Bob. The things that the whiskey director said were hilarious. Oh yeah, and Bob's appearance on Matthews BHTV was classic. Great stuff! I definitely recommend this movie...You won't be disappointed. |
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