Lost in Translation (2003)

Lost in Translation is one of my all-time favorite movies. The film grabbed me when I first saw it in the theater (unusual for back then, but my cineplex got this one in) and since I've watched it dozens of times. Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson are both great and Sofia Coppola's direction taking in the sights and sounds of Tokyo (a city I've always been curious about and wanted to visit) was amazing.

The first time I watched Lost in Translation, many years ago, I really liked it. I am partial to quiet movies, which feature a good ensemble cast, wit and good dialogue. Often, as with this movie, the story is told simply from start to finish without complex bounces back and forth with flashbacks, or made complicated with multiple perspectives. And in fact, I bought a used copy of Lost in Translation on DVD.
After all this time I finally watched it again recently. I still like the movie. I love watching Bill Murray and he gives a fine restrained performance of an actor past his prime and riding on name recognition. Scarlett Johansson does great also. They are witty and display a subtle sense of humor.
Still, I did not like it as much as I remember from before; something seemed lacking. Then I watched the Behind the Scenes extra video. You know, The Making of... and I realized I likedjust as much as I did the movie itself. It made me think that maybe the movie was too laid back. When Scarlett’s character Charlotte spoke to her husband, they were quiet and civil, when she spoke to Bill Murray as Bob, they were quiet and civil, and when Bob spoke to his wife on the phone back home they were quiet and civil, even when she was clearly getting irritated. Perhaps the film would have benefited from a little passion, a little more intensity here and there.
I am glad I watched it a second time, but I don’t expect I will hold onto the DVD for a future viewing.