Lost in Translation

One thing that stood out to me while watching Lost in Translation was the theme of simplicity. Described by one of my classmates as "a movie without a plot", Lost in Translation is primarily a story of ordinary occurrences. Its Wikipedia plot description is composed of 4 flimsy paragraphs that barely take up a third of a page. And although some might argue that a movie with such a basic plot cannot say anything profound, I believe that because Lost in Translation does not try to portray too many themes at once, it portrays its few main ideas exceptionally well. The first of these two main ideas is the experience of being in another country, particularly Japan, alone. My dad, who has been to Tokyo by himself several times on business, told me that "you feel like you're on another planet when you're there, no one speaks English, they have lots of customs you don't understand, and everything just feels dark, mostly because you are up late at night and tired during the day because of the jet lag." These themes of alienation and insomnia are explored similarly through Bill Murray's character as he struggles to gel with Japanese culture during his commercial filming and appearance on a Japanese talk show, all while he cannot sleep at night. The second theme that is exceptionally well explored is the connection that can occur between two very different people when placed in an alienated setting. In a normal American setting Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson's characters would have never connected because of their obvious differences. One is male, the other is female, one is in his late forties or fifties, the other is in her early twenties, and they are both married. But in Japan, where everyone else seems so alien to these Americans, they are drawn to each other simply because they share the same nationality and speak the same language. While Lost in Translation is at its core a simple movie, it explores the themes of traveling in a foreign country and connecting with a stranger exceptionally well.

Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation is a Movie where 2 people who give up on their love life meet each other and rediscover what love means.  Throughout the film Scarlett Johanson and Bill Murray comfort each other and give advice to each other, at first they are just friends and they seek comfort in each other and as the film progressed the 2 started to fall in love with each other and they started to spend more and more time together.  Bill Murray was in a marriage that was falling apart and he got a new spark in his relationship when he met Scarlett Johanson he realized that he was in love with his wife and that is why in the end of the movie he returned to his wife.  This movie tried to establish the 2 main characters in a relationship and when Bill Murray had an affair with the lounge singer things in this movie became confusing because after he committed the affair he still wanted to return to his wife and i think that he only returned because he realized that Scarlett resaprked his love for his wife.  

Lost in Translation

Sofia Coppla's move Lost in Translation gave an insight into two characters lives in which they struggled to find the true meaning behind what they were doing and figuring out what their future would be like. I believe throughout the film, it turns into somewhat of a Lost and Found.

In the beginning of the movie, we are presented with two characters; Charlotte and Bob. Bob is in Japan working on a job in the filming business and Charlotte is tagging along with her husband of two years. After many encounters with the Japanese that cause confusion, Bob becomes a little irritated with his job and what he is doing in Japan. Charlotte cant sleep at night and stays up till the early morning thinking about what will happen next. Both characters were lost in their own world; however, through small encounters and eventually a night out on the town, the two worlds collide. It  was almost like they had found out they were not the only people struggling. It was like a Lost and Found.

Lost in Translation is somewhat of an unknown genre with a mix of comedy, romance, and drama. The two characters who struggled with their futures and where their lives laid, found each other. Lost in Translation turned into Lost and Found.

Lost in Translation Response

The Film Lost In Translation directed by Sophia Coppola is a love story between two people staying in Tokyo, Bob Harris played by Bill Murray, and Charlotte played by Scarlett Johansson. The film follows Bob and Charlotte individually into the city and strength their need to create a relationship with each other. To face their their fears and insecurities and to communicate.

The Karaoke scene is a turning point in the movie, in which Bob and Charlotte hint that they feel a connection. They use the songs they choose to define who they are for the other and what they want. It is the point at which Bob realizes that Charlotte is his dream of an uncomplicated future, this is proven to the audience by shots of a large smile across Bob’s face as he watches Charlotte perform a song in a frosted pink wig.

I found the director's choice quite interesting, the setting in Tokyo, one of the worlds largest international cities. It is is interesting concerning the relationship that develops between Bob and Charlotte. Lost In Translation is as much a love story as it is an exploration of tourism.

Overall, this film is a tragedy for Bob Harris, and not as much for Charlotte, in that they are both in isolated marriages, and find a more perfect relationship with each other. The age gap between the two of them and their temporary circumstances result in them eventually not being able to be together, either as friends or lovers.

Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation is a comedy-drama written and directed by Sophia Coppola and many movie critics have called this movie possibly the best of year (2003) and a modern masterpiece. I myself was very surprised as what this movie really was. As the movie started out, I thought it would be a love story between Bob Harris (an aging American action movie star, arrives in Tokyo to film an advertisement who is going through a midlife crisis) and Charlotte (a young college graduate, who gets left behind in her hotel room by her husband, John, a celebrity photographer on assignment in Tokyo), but that's not what it was at all, which is what I think made this movie unique - it was not the cliche and predictable romance movie.

This film told the story of Bob Harris (Bill Murray), an American movie star that comes to Tokyo to film a whiskey commercial for which he will be paid $2 million. Staying in the same Tokyo hotel is Charlotte (Scarlett Johanssen), a newlywed tagging along with her rock photographer husband, John (a typically awkward Giovanni Ribisi). Along the way, Charlotte and Bob run into each other and begin a 'brief encounter' that profoundly affects them both. The two meet at a hotel in Tokyo Japan and develop a strange yet intimate relationship throughout out the film. I expected their relationship to turn into romance, but it was more a friendship throughout the film. It began as a comedy of culture clash, Harris sarcastic and confused at the Japanese when entering his hotel, and even more befuddled in a hilarious scene where he shoots the whiskey commercial (and one later during a photo shoot). Coppola delivers Bob into her movie with the impression that it'll be all about him (he has plenty of great scenes, even at just the beginning), but Charlotte enters the story, and we're never quite the same. Scarlett Johanssen plays Charlotte with just the right amount of emotion that her initially morose and soul-searching character doesn't seem silly. Bob, on the other hand, seems to have it made, but Murray lets a current of loneliness run across that memorable face that seems to hint at something more. He gets comical faxes from his wife about bookshelves and carpet samples, but he gives off the impression that he's come to the point where he doesn't even care anymore. Bob is certainly alone for a time in Tokyo, but Murray gives off the impression that things at home aren't too hot either. It is evident that Lost in Translation represents the confusion between the main characters with the way Bob and Charlotte felt towards each other and what each want to do with their lives. 

Lost In Translation

Lost in Translation did a perfect job of bringing together all aspects of life in a blend of different genres. As it began, I thought it would be a love story, but that's not what it was at all. It brought together and man and women of completely different lives. Scarlett Johansson plays a young, fairly newly married, girl who is unemployed and is in Japan for her husbands job. Bill Murray plays Bob, a mediocre actor, married with kids, who is going through a middle life crisis. Whats really cool about the movie is that they are both completely different people at completely different times in their lives, but they relate to each other. Both characters have doubt about the paths they have created for themselves. They both stay up all night thinking about life and trying to figure out their next move. I think whats special about the movie is that it shows that no matter what race, gender, or age we can all relate to each other. At least, that's what I got out of the movie. Even though you may feel lonely in the world they may be someone going through the same thing as you right down the hall. It was nice to watch a movie with a serious message, but had a splash of humor every once in a while. It is clear that Lost in Translation represents the confusion that happens throughout the movie between the Japanese people and the main characters. But, there is a lot that is lost in translation. The way the characters feel towards each other, the meaning behind their relationship, and what they each want to do with their lives. To be honest, even the end outcome was a little lost in translation.

Lost in Translation Blog: Haber

Lost In Translation is one of a kind film starring Bill Murray as the lonesome burned out actor, Bob Harris, and Scarlett Johansson as miserable newly wed Charlotte. The two meet at a hotel in Tokyo Japan and develop a strange yet intimate relationship throughout out the film. This movie is one of Sophia Coppola's greatest works. The movie really makes you think outside the box especially the whisper exchanged from Bills character to Scarlets at the very end of the film. An aspect of the film that caught my eye was scene shooting in which Coppola shot in order to capture the intimacy between the two characters. One scene that stands out among others is the shot of Murray and Johansson on the bed together so close but not touching. The shot is from a birds eye view straight above the bed. Much like the above chandler shot in Taxi Driver. The scene showed the characters relationship with out them even touching that how powerful that shot was, they were shot with a certain connection to each other the viewer felt between the characters. Even if that connection was not established yet in the movie it became obvious the viewers that these two characters really had a strong attraction to each other. The scene is important to the movie all together because it adds to the awkwardness of the their relationship with one another. Murray is way older then she is, they are both married, Murray has kids, it simply can not be done. But the audience can still see the spark between them though out the film and especially on this birds eye view shot.