Imposing Tokyo is a city of too much crowded streets and too much empty ones. Down town surrounded by everlasting lights and continuous movement on every sighting, everyone follows their own path. I suppose after a while living here, you take everything for granted. It may become tedious. Its overwhelming technology constituted and penetrates every skyscraper and advertisement. A night stroll through this marvelous city aside a love one can picture perfect how intimacy can be achieved by huge surroundings of people and endless movement. Why? Romantic love between a man and a woman is a constant of two, a third one means crowd. So, this two are immerse on each other enjoying this touring through Tokyo. The strolling goes on as the characters talk, laugh, and fool around each other. Simple mundane seduction, the unique of it is in the difference of each others persona. In their sorrow and meaningless existence they are aware of this mundane stroll. They fall in love, no longer mundane but unique. Now they are Bob and Charlotte, not that lone Wife and the depressive Actor, what ever his name is (Bob Harris isn’t it?). More strolling as the couple gaze at that Big Pink Dinosaur. Some jokes here and there, when at last they understand that they are alone with each other. That’s all the comfort one needs. Still surrounded by massive amounts of people strolling through the streets (got the picture?).
To cheer you up, to hold you save, still strolling through Tokyo and its overwhelming architecture, the couple feels the bond. What a great time to be with each other! Bond together. Time for a Whisky. Cheers!
Wake up, it’s late already! Got to work. Where is my Husband? That damn Translator sucks big time! Some fancy actress, I just can’t stand her stupid smile! At least I’m getting paid for this commercial. At least there is Tokyo right outside the window. Tonight’s plan will take us to one of those popular bars where you can be alone with your friends and have a good time. Karaoke! Now I know you better. I don’t want to be alone tonight, so stay with me please? We’ll share the sorrow. It’s about the dept of your gaze and the sharing of our silence. It pleases me to be with you. Bob and Charlotte. Yours truly!
Don’t feel sad, we’ll come together again. Now Charlotte strolls alone in Tokyo, and Bob impatiently awaits for her to come back to America. Then we’ll sketch a dinner or something and begin an affair. Remember the way we where back in Tokyo?
No stereotypes, no clichés, and by no means the standard romantic comedy formula is used in any to way to cheapens this carefully constructed atmosphere of lonesome existences and frailty of the soul. Reality is at every moment present to express a direct mood of despair. Sweet jokes and mundane speeches, just a man a woman coming together as in real life happens. That’s why it’s simple but sober script penetrates the viewer with gallantly and emotiveness. Never in this picture a glimpse of hypocrite manipulation is seen to force a tear in the spectator. Sophia Coppola’s pace and cinematic composure is perfect and flawless. The acting level is simply splendid. Highly in shape, Bill Murray is the perfect muse, natural, complex, as far as I am concern, this is no acting but a real life person caught in motion. Tender Scarlett Johansson pleases the eye with every gesture and word, sexy and lone, a breathtaking performance my dear. The photography is no post-card but a realistic color depict of the great Tokyo gathered with an exact camera movement. Music to assists the images and increase the great balance achieved in this less that 30 days shooting. A.K.A.: Lost in Translation.
And so, the excellent DVD transferring offers DTS sound, Dolby Digital 5.1, A conversation with Sophia and Bill, the Making Of, an extend version of that weird Japanese T.V Show, plus some more goodies.
The climax comes when Bob soft spokes some words to Charlotte, gaining an instant smile on her face. That’s one of the best depictions of hope ever caught in Cinema History. He comes back to the limousine with a big sense of fulfillment. She continues her stroll, alone yes, but with a huge gaze of happiness and satisfaction. Simply an unprecedented kind of beauty never shown before on the big screen. Then the end credits appear: Directed by the great Sophia Coppola, featuring the amazing performances of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, etc, etc.
It’s about people we met briefly in our lives, but how we can talk about them forever, and never get tire of it.