STORY STUDY - MEDIUM: FILM - “Lost in Translation”
Going to a new city or state is always intimidating. Going to a whole new country where you’re not familiar with its native language is just scary. Plus, if you’re there alone, it gets… well, lonely.
Lost in Translation is directed and written by Sofia Coppola. The film is about two people: Bob is an American actor who is hired to film a commercial to promote a Japanese whiskey in Tokyo, Japan, as well as being interviewed on a Japanese talk show.
Charlotte is a recent college grad student who tagged along with her husband, John, a celebrity photographer. She spends her time either in her hotel room or traveling around Japan alone.
Bob and Charlotte stay in the same hotel, which is where they first meet. They have something in common in that not only are they in an unfamiliar country, but their marriages are strained; Bob going through a midlife crisis and Charlotte questioning her marriage to John, whom she married only two years prior.
They learn more about each other, as well as experiencing Japan’s nightlife.
It’s hard to talk in depth about this film because it’s a character study film, much like Up in the Air and Sideways, which I’ve discussed previously. There’s not much to talk about. I will say that the film is very atmospheric: beautiful shots of Japan, whether it’d be the modern Tokyo or the traditional Kyoto.
The film shows Bob’s job in progress and Charlotte’s conversations with John’s friends. This is where the film can get very awkward, but intentionally awkward.
Charlotte feels awkward because she is unable to connect with John’s friends in what they’re saying. She feels out of place.
Bob, however, has a different, more comedic awkward connection.
One of the memorable scenes of Lost in Translation involves Bob shooting the commercial. The Japanese director is giving him direction in very long Japanese sentences. Bob’s translator, however, doesn’t fully translate his words, just telling Bob the gist of what the director is saying, leaving Bob very confused.
There’s also another scene involving Bob appearing on the Japanese talk show.
You can immediately tell things are going to be over-the-top and awkward.
In fact, most of the scenes involving awkward encounters with Japanese people involve the nightlife. There’s someone who shoots a paintball at Bob and Charlotte out of fun, and even a prostitute that attempts to seduce Bob in his hotel (the whiskey company paid the prostitute as a kind gesture.)
Luckily, the film does take the time to showcase a Japan with dignity by exploring outside city life.
Lost in Translation was (wide) released in October 2003 a week before Kill Bill Vol. 1. It was a time when I was very much into anime and Japanese culture. Any film I could see that had Japan in it, I was highly interested.
When I finally saw Lost in Translation when it was on TV, I was… bored. I didn’t really completely understand it. Japan itself, whether it was Tokyo or Kyoto, was absolutely beautiful. But, anytime it showed the characters, I only saw random scenes spliced together. Bob is eating alone; Bob is stuck on an exercise machine, Charlotte looks out the hotel window, Bob watches a lounge singer. Nothing connected, ironically.
Years later, I can now fully appreciate and understand what the film is about. However, I can completely understand if someone can get immediately bored by it.
Check it out, and completely lose yourself.
