Lost in Translation

As actor Bob Harris (Bill Murray) arrives in Tokyo for a commercial shoot, he sees his picture on the side of a building in a whiskey advertisement. The dark interior of his car, and his dejected, tired look, both contrast with the bright lights and enthusiasm of the city outside. Bob rubs his eyes to try to take in the glaring advertisements, and he sardonically accepts the gifts of his Japanese hosts. He gets a fax from his wife saying he forgot their son's birthday. Bob doesn't want to be in Japan, and he seems disconnected from his wife at home too.

Pan to a hotel room. Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) sits up awake in the middle of the night. She calls a friend for comfort and cries after she hangs up the phone. She tries to get her husband's attention by walking in front of him in her underwear. He is busy with work and her advances are ignored. She's having a rough time being in Japan too.

Bob and Charlotte meet in the elevator, in the hotel bar, at the pool -- again and again in chance encounters. They are both insomniacs and are both looking for someone to have a decent conversation with.

Kelly (based on Britney Spears?) is someone blonde, famous, talentless and superficial that Charotte's husband knows. She is with some kind of hip-hop artist guy probably based on Kevin Federline, whose conversation about hip-hop music stultifies Charlotte, a philosophy major.

The best part of the film is Bob and Charlotte's moments together as they are starting to develop feelings for each other, especially moments spent alone. Their emotional connection begins as they sing karaoke in a bar with friends. They look at each other almost the whole time as if they're singing to each other - 1980s songs about love, attraction, and what lies beyond everyday life.

This was Scarlett Johansson's "breakout" film. She is good at silent scenes, looking distraught, bored and beautiful. Her smile is contagious, though she only smiles a few times, notably when around Bob. Other times her acting falls a bit flat, but she has a silent intensity and range of facial expressions that carries her through the film.

Bill Murray has a great range and really pulls off this role. He is convincing as a bored actor having to make commercials to earn money. He is convincing as someone with a serious language and cultural barrier in Japan trying to do the best he can. His affection for Charlotte is equally convincing.

The major question in this film is what keeps Bob and Charlotte from having an affair with each other, because the story has them deliberately resist it (until the very end). They have a great chemistry, and they are sexually attracted to each other.

They have a kind of father-daughter relationship. He takes on a parental role when he talks to her about her plans and his marriage. His strongest moment is when he talks about what it's like to have children. It is really convincing that he loves and delights in his children, and that having children has changed his life - mellowed him, brought out a new person. He refrains from having sex with Charlotte probably because she is too much like a daughter for him.

But he's not happy with his marriage. That is clear. One time he calls his wife and says he's "lost," and she responds by telling him he should stay in Japan. Not much emotional comfort coming from her.

Bob has several opportunities to kiss Charlotte, but he refrains each time. Hoping that things will just get better at home, or that he won't act on what he feels for Charlotte.

At the end of the film he finally chases her down on the street. There's still the father in him as he caresses her hair. But there's more. He kisses her and she is near tears. His smile is huge as he walks away from her, the first time he smiles big in the movie.

The loneliness of both characters is biggest when they are surrounded by the Japanese. It is not the Japanese per se, but the alienation that is already there, that is brought out by being immersed in Japan. Should a man and woman who feel this way act on their feelings? They do in a very subtle way in this film.

We are left with the feeling that they will carry this momentary happiness with them, and try to sort things out with their spouses. These out of place feelings had to be expressed. Maybe things will not get better with their spouses, especially if they tell the truth about how they felt for each other. Still, they have this momentary connection to remember and to cherish. It almost seems like they should have stayed with each other. Maybe they will come back to each other later. The happy ending to this story is a limited happy ending. The moment they acknowledge their feelings, Bob has to leave.