Lost In Translation Review

Lost In Translation (2003) - Focus Features, Tohokashinsha Film Company Ltd., American Zoetrope, Elemental Films

Directed by Sofia Coppola
Written by Sofia Coppola
Starring Bill Murray & Scarlett Johansson

You know when you're interested in a film and you ask your friends if they've seen it, and if they have, what they thought of it. When I asked people about Lost In Translation I got mixed responses which can basically be summed up as "It's a beautiful film" or "It's crap, nothing happens". Both are true.

Saying that "nothing happens" in this film is unfair because something does happen, it just isn't  a fast paced story driven by action sequences. It's a love story that isn't really a love story. It's just the story of two different people who have a connection whilst staying at the hotel, and that's all it is.

The real driving force of this film is Sofia Coppola's script and the two leads, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. It's a nice simple story, played with masterful class by the two lead actors, whose chemistry is electric. It's hard to believe that a young Scarlett Johansson can star opposite a veteran like Bill Murray without being completely overshadowed, but she pulls it off and makes it look easy.

Anyone who says that this film is "boring" may have a fair point, but I don't think it's fair. It's just that this isn't a film for everyone. It doesn't have a story that is going to appeal to every viewer and that's fine because they clearly weren't the right audience for this film. I can appreciate what they mean, because whilst I enjoyed watching this film, it probably isn't something I'd find myself reaching to watch often. It's something I'd have to find myself in the mood to watch.

The film itself is beautiful, I don't mean the story, but the visuals. The bright lights of Tokyo offer this film a very stylised look, and compliment the story well. This was my first experience of a Sofia Coppola film, but having studied film at college I was aware of her films, my class just didn't study them.

I don't really have much else to say about the film that hasn't already been said in countless reviews, and due to the fact that this film has been out for a while, you've probably already made a decision as to whether or not you're going to watch it. I'd say that if you enjoy a good story, but don't mind it being a bit slow and just appreciating the smaller moments, I'll think you'll find it makes for a good watch. You might fall in love with it, as I know lots of people have, I didn't, much like the film it was just a quick romantic fling. 

Progress...

So I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of being a grown up and all the shit that comes with it. I've expressed on here before, I think about a year ago, that I was worried about becoming an adult. I was right to be worried, becoming an adult is shit, it's like a second puberty except of taking your time it's like a one year intensive course of worry.

But I've come out the other side of what was quite possibly the shittest year of education I've ever had. And that includes all those lessons they spent teaching me shapes and numbers when I was 4. That has benefitted me a lot more in life than anything I picked up from my second year at university. Well, that's not fair, I have picked up a few gems of knowledge; most people are twats, and quite a lot of them are dicks (I don't know about how you rate swear words but in my book calling someone a dick is more insulting than a twat. Twats are just annoying people, dicks go out of their way to be annoying). But there are a select few amazing people that actually want to achieve something and are people I'm glad I've met, because if it wasn't for them I would have been gone. 

After all that I've now got the summer look forward to. Ha. All it is now is 4 months of not having enough work to pay for all the bills, considering I only have a part time job and they won't be able to afford to pay me for any extra hours I do (which is fucking ridiculous considering the amount of money I know our website alone generates For the business). Having said that, an opportunity had presented itself which looks quite hopeful, and having previous work at a sports stadium should hopefully play to my advantage, but I'm not going to get my hopes up, that way if I get it it's like a nice little bonus bit of happiness. 

In the mean time I've been making progress on my '50 Films I've Been Meaning to See' list. I've knocked off 5 of them so far; The Cabin in the Woods and The Hobbit already have reviews posted. The other 3 I've watched are Lost in Translation, Looper and Fast & Furious (All of which I will post reviews for in the near future). To see the next 5 I'll be knocking off the list, look below, otherwise I'll be back soon.