“Lost in Translation” (2003)

“Lost in Translation” stars Scarlett Johansson as Charlotte, a graduate in philosophy from Yale. Her husband John, played by Giovanni Ribisi, is a celebrity photographer and Charlotte has accompanied him to Tokyo. John is caught up in his work so much that Charlotte feels unheard and very lonely. Sometimes she feels invisible.

While in Tokyo, Charlotte meets Bob Harris, played by Bill Murray. Bob is an American actor who is starring in a Japanese commercial. His marriage is rocky and he’s not very enthusiastic about doing the commercial. Both Charlotte and Bob are at a crossroads in their lives and aren’t sure what they want to do or the direction they want to go.

As Bob, the middle aged man and Charlotte, a much younger woman, become close and start to hang out a lot, the viewer may assume the relationship will turn into a steamy affair. The innuendos are subtle, which gives more impact than the blatant and common script we often see in films. The two have a close bond and often it’s unspoken, but somehow they are able to meet each other’s needs.

This is a rather slow-moving movie. It won’t draw in the adventurous, but I found it to be enjoyable. The scenery and glimpse into Japanese life was nice. This is a movie you need to watch to the end and retrace backward to get the full impact.