Review of Lost in Translation (2003) by Jeffrey M — 25 Jun 2012

Lost in Translation succeeds at being smart, funny, sad, and authentically touching, more so than most comedy-dramas. It does this not through a traditional plot, but through the interactions and emotions of the two leading characters, played beautifully and with great nuance by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. The atmospheric nature of the film does a good job at both conveying depression, and also the inherent humor found in it. As such, the film does not strike a false note. However, I would have liked to have seen Murray's family dynamics fleshed out a bit more, in addition to Johansson's relationship with her husband, so as to give more context to what they were experiencing. But ultimately, the film comes down to the two of them, and their journey, which is executed very well.

4/5 Stars.