MOVIE REIVEW: ‘Lost in Translation’ not a winner; timing perfect for ‘Miracle’
Grade: C
I may be the only critic in the country who doesn’t appreciate this film. According to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Roger Ebert, it “made more critics’ best 10 lists than any other title.” The Golden Globes named it “Best Comedy.” The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated it in the major categories. The night I saw “Lost in Translation,” I pored through Web site after site, and found not a single negative critique.
Best Comedy?! Wow, this film was as hilarious as another Best Comedy – “Driving Miss Daisy.” Never trust a critic when it comes to comedy; trust only your instincts. Of course, having said that, are you going to trust me?
And so it becomes my sad duty to give this film a lukewarm review. Yes, it’s billed as a sweet, sad and touching love story between a washed-up, middle-aged actor and a neglected newlywed young woman, and it takes place in Tokyo, Japan. But it’s also uneventful and slow and requires great patience to sit through for what seems like forever.
Really it’s just a story of two lonely Americans’ laborious descent into an emotional affair.
The positives: the depiction of the quirks of Tokyo life, from the game shows to the sushi bars to the karaoke clubs. The culture clash did yield some funny moments. The best part was Bob’s appearance on a Japanese talk show with a flamboyant host. But for the majority of the film, he was holding too much back.
You could sense him containing his comic side for most of the movie, and it was annoying. I kept waiting for him to unleash real comedy, but his successful self-restraint may have been what earned him his first Oscar nomination.
Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) connects emotionally with Bob, although she is half his age. The half-embarrassed comments they make to each other as they start conversations probably reflect reality, but get old after awhile.
The central relationship of the movie seems destined for tragedy because these two people are married, decades apart in age, and only in town for a week. The sweetest moment in the movie came when Bob whispers something into Charlotte’s ear, and the audience is not allowed to hear it.
Another positive of the film is the lack of foul language. It’s refreshing that Sofia Coppola doesn’t rely on sensational profanity to spice up a film, but the film does earn its “R” rating with a strip club scene. Of course a more superior Coppola movie is the haunting, nostalgic “Virgin Suicides,” her debut 1999 film based on Jeffrey Eugenides’ tragic novel of childhood crushes. This also avoids vulgarity, but the theme, as you may have guessed from the title, is not for children.
The problems of “Lost in Translation” come not from its subject matter or its acting. I have no qualms about the writing. What it boils down to is that it’s not very entertaining. Ebert said art should entertain before it does anything else.
It’s just one of those movies in which nothing happens to move the plot along. Maybe I don’t appreciate or understand all the nuances and subtleties of the film, but I wasn’t entertained. For entertainment and artistic value, just go see “The Return of the King” again. For comedy, try something funny.
Mark LaRocco is a senior majoring in print/broadcast journalism. Comments may be sent to him at marklaroc@cc.usu.edu.