Souls lost,
connect in familiarity;
and later,
bond.
Sofia Coppola's new film exudes skill and grace, lifted ever higher by the unmistakably amazing performances by the legend perfectionist Bill Murray and powerful newcomer Scarlett Johansson. 'Lost in Translation' holds a poignant depth of character and story. Reveling in both subtlety and potent exuberance, the film tells a tale of two half-lost souls in a physically and figuratively foreign world that find each other and connect in an incredible, personal bond. And the bond is made all the more powerful and profound by a lack of physical passion to cheaply illustrate the connection.
It's rare to find such a perfect balance in a film. It firmly journeys in utter determination, not to be swayed to making statements or indulging in cheap theatrics. 'Lost in Translation' instead sticks to an honest portrayal of these primary characters and their relations to each other, keeping to the delicate balance of life. The story is neither sad nor happy, neither discouraging nor inspirational, neither subtle nor exuberant. It walks deliberately along its curving path with no hidden agendas distracting it.
Actually, Charlotte (Johansson) and Bob Harris (Murray) were the film. Without these two, 'Lost in Translation' would have been nothing; and it's accomplishment hinged upon the actors who played them. The delicate skill may at times bore some, but to others amaze them. And yet, it isn't trapped in the constant boorishness that such a film is prone to, and has been a downfall of otherwise incredible films with incredible performances such as the recent "About Schmidt," which takes a fine appreciation and patience to find fascinating. In fact, sometimes the film is downright fun and hilarious, despite the film not generally being of laugh-out-loud gut laughter, particularly thanks to the dead-pan humor emanating from Bill Murray.
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