Lost In Translation

Focus Features presents

Starring: Bill Murray Scarcett Johansson

Directed by: Sofia Coppola

Rating:****

Plot: Bob Harris is an American movie star in Japan making whiskey commercials. As he stays in his hotel hiding away in the hotel bar. He meets Charlotte a young woman who is married to a photographer working in Japan. She is also lost and can't help but stay in the hotel. These two characters meet and become friends. No sex, no stupid love plot lines, just friends. Funny stuff and pretty real stuff ensues.

Acting: Okay, please forget Charlie's Angels, I know I have. Bill Murray is a great, no make it brilliant actor. I loved watching him on SNL and I love his better movies like Groundhog Day and Ghost Busters 1 and 2 and many others. As audiences though we have never seen Murray in such a diverse role as this. He layers this one character amazingly. When the public has been inflicted with disgusting comedy where fart jokes, sex jokes are taking control this movie comes along and can really make you laugh. Fuck those Austin Powers movies, this movie is true comedy. Scenes in which Murray is trying to understand the commands in which a Japanese director gives him during a whiskey commercial filming. His comedy talent is just amazing and I really do believe he should get a Oscar nomination for this performance. The other actors also do a good job. Murray of course is above and beyond them but they are talented. Johansson who I remember was in Eight Legged Freaks since I saw five minutes of it last night on HBO. This woman is very talented and I hope Hollywood noticed this performance. I hated her character but understood what a great job she did. Besides the two leads the side characters were interesting as well including Charlotte's husband played by Giovanni Ribisi who was in Boiler Room and Saving Private Ryan and even the underrated Basic. He was good for like couple scenes he was in. Also Anna Faris from the Scary Movie franchise plays an American actress who is general "blonde girl" she was just great and I enjoyed her character and she was only in like three scenes.

Directing/Writing: I loved Sofia Coppola's Suicide Virgins and she clearly has her fathers talent. The way she films things has a grace and feeling to it. I wish film makers like her were taking over the buiz instead of these MTV bitches who love this fast paced in your face film making. Coppola is just plain talented and the way she sets up comedy in such a subtle way I was enjoying it. My only complaint is toward the fact that the movie really slows down at the end and you start to wonder what you just watched. Did anything actually happen? Not really and you may leave the theatre disapointed, I know I did a little. Otherwise this was a great movie all around. I love the fact that the two leads were not in love in the sex type of way. Just love as friends and they connect on emotions and understanding of being lost. Lost In Translation is one of the most pure and real movies in which you will laugh and not cry but you will feel something for these characters deep down inside.

Overall: Bill Murray does the performance of a life time and Sofia Coppola has now proved herself as one brilliant film maker.