Wednesday 20 June 2012

Devouring Films: Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation is one of those films that I'd always intended to watch, yet never quite got round to it for no good reason. Like, I felt like I should watch it, and hey, I love Scarlett Johansson, but I was still fairly meh about making an effort to actually watch it. And then, two things happened- it was one of the only films that I really really wanted to watch on Netflix (a lot of the films on there look like they suck, big time. I can't even tell you how many Stephen King films there are, so that should tell you a lot!) and there was a double bank holiday for the Jubilee and there was nothing to watch on the TV. It was time for Lost in Translation.

And WHAT a treat it was! Seriously- I was fully prepared for it to be kind of pretentious because, I'm sorry Oscar nominated films, but you usually are; but actually it was anything but. It was funny and warm and about so many different things, but at no point did it seem like it was a film that thought it was better than it was, because, well, it would be difficult to think of something that is better than Lost in Translation. There are a few films, I suppose, and there are definitely films that I like better, but not really that many. It's pretty special.

So you know about Lost in Translation, right? I'm pretty sure everyone's seen it except me by now, since I've been meaning to watch it for about 9 years, but just in case, it goes like this. Bill Murray is an actor (Bob) who goes to Tokyo to be paid a lot of money for making some Japanese whiskey adverts instead of doing a play or something at home, which would please him creatively, and you feel, please his wife emotionally. Scarlett Johansson is a recent college graduate who's in Tokyo with her husband, a famous photographer who has a lot of work to do which means leaving Johansson (Charlotte) alone in their hotel room a lot. Both Charlotte and Bob are feeling lost and displaced, and so when they find each other, it seems like something magical is bound to happen.

And what does happen is a solid friendship between the unlikely couple, conversations that they can't have with their significant others, and something that's so subtle that you could almost blink and miss it until it all comes to a head (you'll know what I'm talking about if you've seen it, I hope. And if not, then watch it!) and you're left going 'oh WOW. I really didn't see that coming.' And I didn't, and yet it still makes the most sense in the world, and I approve of it utterly, even if I don't necessarily think it's something that they would sustain in the real world. Have I just given things away? I hope not...

I think I was basically predisposed to like this film, and I was especially predisposed to like it because of my whole Murakami! Japan! thing that I've got going on right now. But as well as that, the concept of people being lost, not just in a strange country but in their own lives is something that I totally get right now, and it's tempting to believe that being lost, in Japan, would be better than being lost here; but it's probably about the same. So, even if subsequent viewings of this film make it feel like it's not as good as it was this time, I'll know that, at the point at which I watched it, it was perfect. Maybe I shouldn't ever watch it again so it remains like that! ("let's never come here again, because it would never be as much fun.")

And, oh look what I've forgotten to mention- it's actually really funny too! It's not always funny, but it's funny enough to watch with someone who doesn't necessarily like these sorts of films (good ones, that is) and for them to still be entertained, whilst you're going 'this is so amazing...' And that's probably how it avoids being pretentious, and just how it manages to be so awesome. I don't know how I always manage to forget the humour in films like this: it's probably something to do with going 'well, the mise en place was spectacular' (AS level Media Studies, baby!) but I always like the humour just as much as the beauty and poignancy. It's just... not as pretentious to talk about, I guess!

To sum up: Lost in Translation. It's beautiful, it's poignant, it's funny, it's anything and everything you want it to be. It will probably make you want to go to Japan, only with someone you really love so that, even if you're lost, you're lost together. Basically, you want to watch this film. You just might not know it yet. You're so lucky that I'm here to guide you.

16 comments:

  1. I remember liking it more than I thought I would, but Sofia Coppola's one of those writer/directors whose work I just tend to really like. Biiiiit too sad though. :D

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    1. Oh no, not sad! That's not a thing that many people experience sometimes! :D

      I think it's sort of hopeful though. At least on ScarJo's side, cause she's young and she'll figure out what to do eventually. I feel like they'll be ok, by the end of the film. Mostly. Is The Virgin Suicides good? I feel like it could be, even though I sort of haaaated the book, cause I trust Sofia now. In spite of what she did in The Godfather III...

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  2. I remember I saw it on the big screen and I felt like I didn't really get it, but I enjoyed the experience of watching it. I saw it again a few years ago and I don't know if it's repeat viewings or maybe that I'm different/better/smarter but it made so much more sense and it was a great experience to watch it again. I'm glad you liked it!

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    1. Aw, I love it when that happens with a film, especially if you watch it for the second time sort of by accident, and then you're like 'oh my GOSH, look at what I could have missed!' Also, it seems to take me two viewings recently to totally like a film, which is really odd, but I didn't even need it with Lost in Translation. Just love it :)

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  3. I absolutely, positively loved this film. I thought the ending was one of the most genius things I've seen in a movie, maybe...ever. It's heartbreaking in a lot of ways.

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    1. It was brilliant, wasn't it?! I was mesmerised by Scarlett Johansson, and then I read that she was like 18 when she was in it, and I was just like WOAH amazing! Also- totally heartbreaking, but also amazing :)

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  4. I should really watch this again. I remember liking it, but I only remember a scene or 2 here and there. And the line "what kind of restaurant makes you cook your own meat?"

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    1. Soooo funny! And also sad! In a perfect mix, so there's not too much of either! I LOVE IT SO MUCH! Also, this: "What did you study?" "Philosophy" "There's a good buck in that racket..." LOL and also LIES :)

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  5. Because I like to be contrary, I really disliked this film. Actually I didn't, I just... didn't care. Bill Murray was fantastic in it (I love the modelling scene early in the film) but mostly I was completely disinterested with every that went on. Pretty film, but it just seemed empty to me--which is my main problem with most/all Sophia Coppola films.

    Glad you liked it though!

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    1. Kayleigh, nooooooo! Although I can't really say anything about finding films empty because I can see how that could easily happen with this film if you're not in the right mindset or whatever it is that makes a film amazing for one person and crap for someone else. So I'm sorry it didn't work for you! Like how Melancholia didn't work for me *grumbles remembering Melancholia*

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    2. Ugh, Melancholia. But yeah, I think this was just one of those films where I like bits and I like the overall look but it just never hit the right notes for me. Oh well, can't love them all!

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  6. I saw this movie a looong time ago - I believe when I was 18 or so. I remember not paying it much attention at the time, but it's definitely something I'm interested to watch again, perhaps with a new appreciation :)

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    1. Oooh, yay! If you do watch it again, let me know what you think of it! :)

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  7. I've wanted to see this for years, too. It sounds worth it, and I will definitely watch it when I get the chance. I'm a bit Japan! Murakami! too, but not quite as much as you, I think. :-)

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  8. It's a gorgeous film, isn't it? I totally want to watch it again now!

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  9. This is one of my favorite films. I've rewatched a number of times. I've seen ScarJo in a number of films now, but I think she was still the best in this one. There are a couple of scenes that jump to mind but one is when she calls a friend and the friend is too distracted to realize that Charlotte is upset. Either it's before she makes the call or after, Charlotte just has tears coming down her face that she keeps wiping away. Sometimes crying is so melodramatic in films, but that was a scene where it was crying the way I experience it in real life.

    Anyway, I don't know if you know this about the ending already, but Coppola let the two actors kind of improvise and follow their instincts about how it would go. I think the organic nature of the acting helps the scene work. One thing I love about the ending, is how it gets how hard it is to say a goodbye that is worthy of the friends being parted. Charlotte and Bob get three tries at it and the final one really is quite tonally right for them. As you said it's not something supportable over the long run, but I didn't see it as them trying to begin a new stage.

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