Lost in Translation (2004, DVD)

This is either a 'love it or hate it' movie. I loved it. Two people in a foreign country feeling a bit lost. This movie is slow, but it's about this special relationship that develops for a short period of time. No sex and no action, this movie relies on the chemistry (and some great cinematography)of two people who connect on a deeper level.

it was an OK movie.. Bill Murray was charming .. Ive never been to Japan, but it seemed to be a realistic depiction of what the experience would be like. Cute movie. Good rental, good ebay buy, but I wouldnt pay more than $10 for it.

Ok, I admit it. I hate Sofia Coppola. All of her movies are crap. EXCEPT Lost in Translation. My friend and I talked about this the other night, and I finally realized why I had such a damn soft spot for this movie.

First off, you have to understand that everything Sofia touches she turns into this dreamy, slow, and somewhat fanciful creation with characters who feel alienated. Point in fact, Marie Antoinette, which needed to be a strong, historical movie, became a boring slide show of pretty pictures set to jarringly modern music with a few bland lines thrown in for flavor, and left the audience feeling alienated.

But Lost in Translation NEEDS to be dreamy, slow and fanciful. It is a simple movie about two people who are lost and feel quite alone in this foreign place. Because the two characters are alienated from the world around them, they perceive it in a dreamy sort of way. The story is a very small slice of their lives, cut out and displayed to us in all its fanciful glory. If you actually experienced the same thing these two characters are going through, it wouldn't even be a story to tell your friends, because it is such a "two ships, crossing in the dark" kind of film.

But it works. It makes you think. You leave the theatre feeling hopeful about life, touched by everything going on around you, and remembering the smallest things, like the person you smiled at yesterday at the supermarket. Who knows what type of effect you had on that person's life?

Sofia Coppola is a one-note filmmaker, and this was the one note that she actually hit right. And trust me, when she hits it, she really HITS IT.

The reviews for this movie are mixed, but if you've ever been to Japan, then you'll find it very difficult not to love this movie.

The movie was a huge disappointment. Having spent time in Japan I expected more about the difficulties and comical adventures that can be had. The concept and trailer lead one to believe that it was an interesting exciting movie. It was slow and lacked a real plot and little action and limited scenery. The DVD's background, making of the movie and deleted scenes were more interesting than the movie itself. I have seen worse but not by much.

This movie is a favorite of mine for may reasons.

1-The directing is nicely done. Shot entirely on location in Japan, Sofia Coppola does a great job of capturing the feel of Tokyo and it's culture, and also shoots the characters well. Nice cinematography.

2-The plot/story is very good. Coppola does a nice job of putting us at the scene, so we can relate to the characters frustrations, joys etc. and the events that happen to them, even though this is a foreign location. The charcater development is subtle and progressive and without giving too much away; the film keeps you guessing and then thinking it will be predictable, then keeps you hanging on again, and back and forth. This makes it hard for me to label it with the genres that it could be placed into by some.--It is differeent from any movie I have seen-In a Good way.

3-Great Acting! Bill Murray shines, as he usually does. Scarlet Johansson is also excellent and her and Murray's interaction makes for great, involving cinema. The supporting cast also does a great job of keeping the dialogue and the plot moving.

4-Great soundtrack. Nice ambient and electronic soundscapes to match the cinematic scenes of Japan and the quiet emotional parts of the film. this is mixed with some upbeat stuff you have probably never heard, in the faster scenes of the movie. It matches the visuals well, and adds to the overall feel of the film as a whole, as an experience.

This is definately the type of movie I would have gone out and rented or watched on my own. i probably had preconceptions of what it was--ie; a romantic comedy or a "chick flick" or some such. As I stated, it doesn't fit into any specific category in my eyes. I am glad an ex-girlfriend and I watched it though, because it instantly became one of my faves and I went out to buy it to own the following day.

Item was not in stock. Was advised that I would not be charged, but why advertise out of stock items?

Slow at first, not the typical movie.
Bill Murray really makes the character likable, and I bought it because I am a huge Scarlette Johannson fan.
They both had great performances in this movie.
I am happy that I did see it, it has a different vibe than most movies.

i bought this movie because of the main actor, Bill Murrey. I had great difficulty following the slow moving movie even tho I got the gest of the theme. The film did not keep my interest, thus i never finished watching the film.

I bought the movie because I like Bill Murray! This was by far the worst movie I've seen him in. Slow moving, boring and stupid. We didn't even finish watching it- it just never got better. Huge disappointment.

You can't appreciate this movie unless you actually have lived or worked in Japan. I watched it when it first came out and thought it was good, and different. But once I moved to Japan it made it that much more meaningful. It's one of my favorite movies because it really shows the difficulties you encounter in a foreign country. I'm still waiting to find my "Bill Murry" here. It's pointless to talk to the Japanese. They are of no help. Great Movie. Better than most I've seen.




**************I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, AFTER LIVING IN JAPAN NOW FOR 2 YEARS, THE JAPANESE PEOPLE ARE WONDERFUL. TALKING TO THEM IS STILL POINTLESS AS THEY USUALLY HAVE NO CLUE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING TO THEM BUT THEY JUST LAUGH AND SMILE AND YOU THINK... OH WELL AT LEAST THEY ARE HAPPY.... THEY ARE THE NICEST PEOPLE I HAVE MET, AND IF YOU GET THE CHANCE THEN COME HERE... IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET USED.. A VERY LONG WHILE.. BUT IT'S A GREAT PLACE AND IF IT WASN'T A 26 HOUR FLIGHT HOME, THEN I WOULD STAY HERE FOREVER! ***********************

very unusual and interesting movie,with bill murray at his best and scarlett
johansonn perfect,really perfect as usual.i also wonder who is her agent,as she never choose an unfitting movie.
this is an example of top,clever,sensitive holliwood movie,which so often europeans think belongs just to them.
i regrett not to have many chances to see murray,and never enough scarlett,
really un unique person in the star sistem,beside,extremely rare thing,having the gift of, so young,beeing charming,beautiful and excellent acress.
price and delivery perfect,as usual on ebay

If you can take slow movies and relish it like sipping a cup of tea - this is a movie for you. Bill Murray has played a wonderful role. It's captivating and humourous (at times). Good entertainment value.

I happened to watch it for a second time recently (not by choice) - but still enjoyed it.

I love this movie - great writing and Bill Murray is awesome in this role. It's wonderfully filmed - showing the different aspects of Japanese culture in both a humorous and visually entertaining way. The character development really made me feel a part of the film. I highly recommend it!

Awful, terrible, horrible, how else can I describe this movie, um, ok, is sucks. There are so many other things to do in life, and life is short so don’t waste your time on this. There is no storyline, no plot, no action, nothing interesting, just a lot of nothing. I am very disappointed in Bill Murray, and Scarlett!

rent or buy it. bill murray at his best.it moves a little slow, but that is a part of the charm of the movie and really sets the mood

This is one of those movies that you either love, or you hate. In my experience, everyone who's ever been to a foreign country and had no clue as to what was going on was able to identify with the movie. Everyone else just thought it was stupid.
It's actually very poetic because it doesn't fill every tiny space with mindless chatter and action. There are quiet moments when the watcher gets to just watch and absorb what's happening in the film, instead of following the unnecessary babbling of words that so many movies have. It has no fear of small moments of silence.
It's a very deep, very touching movie because the watcher can identify with the solitude and lonliness of both characters, and the joy of companionship when they're with one another.
The cherry on the cake is the exploration of the Japanese culture, a much ignored and rather secretive society that has only recently been able to catch the attention of the rest of the world.
I loved it. I recommend it to anyone who isn't narrow-minded. (Not to be harsh towards those who didn't like it. Just the people I know who didn't like it. :)

Couldn't have been better. Timely received my purchase. The DVD was in PERFECT condition. Thank you!

Looks like everyone who expected Bill to be funny disliked this film, but the truth is that it shows his incredible talent as an actor, not only being funny on screen but also excellent in drama characters as well.

I didnt catch this film at the movies, but I bought it a few months later to see what all the talk was about, and damn was I pleased as a Cinema addict. Completely different story than most, fresh, amazing soundtrack that sucks you into the atmosphere, this is the work of a director who knows where to dig to get emotions from the audience.

1 word... EXCELLENT!

When the first 5 minute scene on the widescreen is of a girl's behind in scanty see through underpants lifting her hips sideways up and down,you know the only persons who would say thumbs up will be voyers.
Scarlet is related to the director. Is that not nepotism? Scarlet is no starlet yet.
Bill attempts to be funny in this movie. But his Sardonic comments and facial expressions are lost to the slow start. The movie never picks up and yes it makes a point that it is awful to be the only person not understanding what is going on around him in a new and different place, this message was totally unnecessary to convey in a feature film.
But how many millions of people suffer from Alzheimers and related Dementia and are truly lost in translation? Perhaps had this been a documentary to encourage people to Care for those who are truly lost and indeed truly in need of Compassion , Physical and Emotional Care this movie would have been worthwhile.
The person behind us in the theater fell asleep and some persons across from us walked out.
Boring wake me when it is over.This movie is a great sedative.

One of the worst movies I have ever seen. I reluctantly continued to watch to the very end, hoping that something, anything would happen to catch my attention. I was sorely disappointed.

There is little plot, and it is extremely boring. I had to continually get up to keep from falling asleep. I personally will never watch this movie again, and would not recommend it to anyone. Very disappointed, as I am typically a huge Bill Murray fan, and was looking forward to this movie that had been hyped up.

This movie spoke to me at a depper level than anything I have seen in *years*. I know from talking with others (and this is bourne out by reading other reviews) that people generally loved it or totally did not connect with it. Maybe it is because I have been living overseas for the last 12 years, or maybe because I find myself on road trips having drinks late at night in a bar, connecting with someone for no apparent reason. Or maybe it's just the incredibly indefinable chemistry between Murray and Johannsen in the movie -- not an erotic chemistry, but a real "clicking" feeling. As hard as it is to explain why I loved it, it is easy to simply laud Ms. Coppola for her stunning film -- all the more stunnign for being sparse in dialogue and plot -- this is a "mood" film more than most. Highly recommended.