Lost In Translation (2003)

95% of critics liked it
(219 reviews)
84% of users liked it
(296,334 ratings)

After making a striking directorial debut with her screen adaptation of The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola offers a story of love and friendship blooming under unlikely circumstances in this comedy drama. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a well-known American actor whose career has gone into a tailspin;… More After making a striking directorial debut with her screen adaptation of The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola offers a story of love and friendship blooming under unlikely circumstances in this comedy drama. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a well-known American actor whose career has gone into a tailspin; needing work, he takes a very large fee to appear in a commercial for Japanese whiskey to be shot in Tokyo. Feeling no small degree of culture shock in Japan, Bob spends most of his non-working hours at his hotel, where he meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) at the bar. Twentysomething Charlotte is married to John (Giovanni Ribisi), a successful photographer who is in Tokyo on an assignment, leaving her to while away her time while he works. Beyond their shared bemusement and confusion with the sights and sounds of contemporary Tokyo, Bob and Charlotte share a similar dissatisfaction with their lives; the spark has gone out of Bob's marriage, and he's become disillusioned with his career. Meanwhile, Charlotte is puzzled with how much John has changed in their two years of marriage, while she's been unable to launch a creative career of her own. Bob and Charlotte become fast friends, and as they explore Tokyo, they begin to wonder if their sudden friendship might be growing into something more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Sofia Coppola
Written By: Sofia Coppola
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 26, 2003 Limited
On DVD: Feb 3, 2004
Studio: Focus Features

Critic Reviews

Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
Lost in Translation revels in contradictions. It's a comedy about melancholy, a romance without consummation, a travelogue that rarely hits the road.
David Rooney, Variety
Very much a mood piece, the film's deft balance of humor and poignancy makes it both a pleasurable and melancholy experience.
David Ansen, Newsweek
With this film it becomes clear that Sofia Coppola is a filmmaker with eyes all her own.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
[Murray] can still do more with a raised eyebrow than anyone since Groucho Marx, but he's mellower and sometimes slightly poignant.
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
In Japan, the most extreme delicacy goes hand in hand with garishness, and Coppola offers up both for our delectation. It's a heady, hallucinatory combo.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
Of course, Mr. Murray gets all the laughs with his exquisite timing and wry delivery, but Ms. Johansson makes an eloquent and charismatic listener.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
A lot here for mature older teens and adults.
Brian Orndorf, Modamag.com
A relationship picture with elegant connective tissue; it's brittle and real, focused on the nuances of body language and unspoken desire, while indulging in a cheeky bit of knowing absurdity when the mood strikes.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
...a deceptively simple study in unrequited attraction that succeeds in spite of minor problems with neglected sub-plots.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
[A] top notch gem with beautiful direction courtesy of Sofia Coppola, incredible cinematography, a touching story, and great acting in part of Scarlett Johannsen and Bill Murray.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
Wonderfully warm and witty.
James Mottram, Film4
Transcends its initial culture clash comic riffs to evolve into something altogether more moving by the end. As a result, it's a work of considerable power and pathos.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Working this time with her own story, Coppola lets it relax and breathe, devoting herself to moods and moments.
Joe Lozito, Big Picture Big Sound
This is another step in Mr. Murray's career and one that hopefully gets him the recognition he deserves.
Kam Williams, Princeton Town Topics
Alternately laugh-out-loud silly and profoundly moving, kudos to Sofia Coppola for managing to capture an undeniable chemistry between Murray and his 18 year-old co-star, despite a certain asexuality.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Sofia Coppola's accomplished sophomore work is a personal, melancholy film, based on her own experience, and benefiting from strong chemistry between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.
Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy
Perfectly acted. Immeasurably funny. A great second outing for director Sofia Coppola.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
So far as the central relationship goes, the film is almost European in its subtlety and nuance. Cinematic cherry blossom.
Stina Chyn, Film Threat
From the casting choices to the soul-soothing musical score to glimpses into Japanese visual culture, it's obvious that Sofia pays careful attention that each element of the film stands strong alone, but can also contribute to the whole.
Rick Kisonak, Film Threat
Like so many things made in Japan, Sofia Coppola's new film is smaller and less costly than its standard American counterpart while at the same time superior in most important respects.

Read all 21 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Alexander D

LOST IN TRANSLATION is a unique picture. There arenâ(TM)t many films nowadays, nor have there been at all, that have remained so substantially quiet. Everything about this film seems solemn and peaceful: everything from the music choice of light rock and rhythm and blues; to the… More
LOST IN TRANSLATION is a unique picture. There arenâ(TM)t many films nowadays, nor have there been at all, that have remained so substantially quiet. Everything about this film seems solemn and peaceful: everything from the music choice of light rock and rhythm and blues; to the relaxed cinematography that doesnâ(TM)t rush to alter shots; to the stylistic fading of scenes; to the slow speed of this city-set film. When we see something subtly stunning like this come from writer-director Sofia Coppola, itâ(TM)s clear cinematic talent runs in the family. She is the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, legendary director of THE GODFATHER and APOCALYPSE NOW; the cousin of ADAPTATION and LEAVING LAS VEGAS star Nicolas Cage; the cousin of B-movie director Christopher Coppola. Her directing is impressive. Bill Murray is also an inimitably high peak in this film. His seriocomic role may be the only touch of lightheartedness the film has to offer, and itâ(TM)s rewarding. Itâ(TM)s possible the film gets its title from all those times Bill Murray interprets what the Japanese people are trying to say (in âEngrishâ) differently than what they actually are saying. For instance, if one of the Japanese characters said âlong,â he would interpret it âwrong,â no pun intended. The fashion in which Murray dissolves himself into his character is phenomenal. Sure, he has had outstanding performances prior to this, such as GROUNDHOG DAY and GHOSTBUSTERS, but this has to be the best of his career.
Kase V

Sofia Coppola's 'Lost in Translation' is an aptly named film that portrays more of the talents that made Coppola the filmmaker she is today. It may be the film that represents her techniques the best. Again coaxing great performances, especially from the impressive… More
Sofia Coppola's 'Lost in Translation' is an aptly named film that portrays more of the talents that made Coppola the filmmaker she is today. It may be the film that represents her techniques the best. Again coaxing great performances, especially from the impressive Murray, the film was still unable to completely capture me as the viewer. It is not easy to resonate completely with the film, but its still a solid piece of filmmaking. The cinematography and acting prove to be its high points, but i was not completely satisfied with its script. Worth a shot for anyone, though.
Sam B

After the first thirty minutes, the movie becomes much slower and a lot more somber. Despite the crawl, Lost In Translation is still a fantastic comedy/drama due to the believable performances (especially from Murray, who still has comedic timing and delivery down to a science), a… More
After the first thirty minutes, the movie becomes much slower and a lot more somber. Despite the crawl, Lost In Translation is still a fantastic comedy/drama due to the believable performances (especially from Murray, who still has comedic timing and delivery down to a science), a consistent and captivating mood, and Coppola's ability to maximize the spectacle, feeling, and visual diversity of the Tokyo setting.
David L

It is not easy to talk about "Lost in Translation". Sofia Coppola's second film as a director is in part about things we never talk about. While its two protagonists try to find mutual solace in each other, their silence is as expressive as their words. This is a film… More
It is not easy to talk about "Lost in Translation". Sofia Coppola's second film as a director is in part about things we never talk about. While its two protagonists try to find mutual solace in each other, their silence is as expressive as their words. This is a film that believes that an individual can have a valuable relationship with someone else without becoming part of that person's life. Now I am not married but I can understand pretty well that it is easier for a stranger with whom you share a moment in the bar or corridor to understand your problems better than your husband or wife. Here is an extract from Roger Ebert's great review of the film: "We all need to talk about metaphysics, but those who know us well want details and specifics; strangers allow us to operate more vaguely on a cosmic scale. When the talk occurs between two people who could plausibly have sex together, it gathers a special charge: you can only say "I feel like I've known you for years" to someone you have not known for years." In this marvelous story, the two lonely individuals that merge the illusions of what they have and what they could have are two Americans. The emotional refuge, Tokyo. We have Bob Harris (Bill Murray), and actor in his fifties who was once a star, and is now supplementing his incomes with the recording of a whisky commercial. On the other side of the telephone, a frightening reality: his wife, his sons, and the mission of choosing the right material for heaven knows what part of the house. When we consider Bob's situation, we realise that Lost in Translation is also a meditation on the misery of fame. Certainly fame has great (perhaps greater than disadvantages) advantages but then there are the obligations, the expectations... We also have Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a woman in her twenties who is accompanying her husband, a photographer addicted to work, on a business trip. But it could said it is as if she is alone anyway. Her world, just like Bob's, is reduced to strange days in the bedroom, the corridors, the hotel's swimming pool, and the bar, the perfect destination for victims of sleeplessness and wounded soul. The bar is the place Bob and Charlotte meet for the first time. They talk, little, but just enough. Once their dislike for parts of their lives are established, they begin sharing times that feel dead to be able to feel alive. Bob and Charlotte are souls in transition for whom, surrounded and confused by exotic rituals, and a different language, allows them a moment to lose their identities. Both characters provoke similar feelings form different experiences. There are no kisses or crazy nights between them, but only a shared intimacy in which a night out, a walk in the streets, a session of karaoke becomes a powerful expression of their affection an complicity. The relationship we all await only happens in our minds and the protagonists, whom we are not allowed to know everything they say and desire. Tokyo metaphorically speaking is the third character in the film. The bright colors, the noise of the city...just everything evokes the various spiritual awakenings of the characters. It ends on a perfect note leaving the relationship of the characters undecided. This is rare gem in modern day cinema and one of my favorite films. Check it out. *** Just an add on to this review. I was asked what I thought Murray's character whispered in Johansson's ear at the end of the film. I think the filmmaker left it up the viewer to decide and I've heard they're is audio on youtube that brings it up so you can hear it ( I've not seen it) but my thinking is that he said " I have never loved anyone as much as you. There are a million reasons I can't be with you, but I will spend everyday for the rest of my life wishing I had done it anyway. I'll always miss you." Maybe thats just me being a hopeless romantic. Watch the film and see what you think.
Martin S

A little special film. It's based a lot on feelings. And Bill and Scarlett does a good job of letting us read their feelings without saying much. You can tell it's directed by a woman. And I think that that is just what this movie needs to be what it is. I liked it a lot.
Sophie B

The film played a long really well and I completely understood and felt connected to the main characters, however by the end I was left feeling "what on earth was the point in that". Yes I understand they bonded over a holiday after being the only two who seem out of place… More
The film played a long really well and I completely understood and felt connected to the main characters, however by the end I was left feeling "what on earth was the point in that". Yes I understand they bonded over a holiday after being the only two who seem out of place in a busy and futuristic Tokyo but there was no resolution. They agreed to meet back in America but that's where it ended. I know it's kind of left open to leave it to the viewer to imagine but it was a bit too much.
Brad W

A genius beautiful movie that truly shows a life of a lonely person. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanson are genius actors and should have gotten more recognition from this movie. The plot is phenomenal, a movie that has a deeper meaning that a small few can comprehend. The setting… More
A genius beautiful movie that truly shows a life of a lonely person. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanson are genius actors and should have gotten more recognition from this movie. The plot is phenomenal, a movie that has a deeper meaning that a small few can comprehend. The setting of Tokyo is beautiful. My only tiff is some parts are slow, but that is a small price for such a genius and amazing movie.
Nadira I

Really illustrates the Japanese culture and how western people look at it from the outside. It's a film about how cultures and languages clashes and make life hard for the people from outside the country. The beauty of this film is that the characters feel "alone". Bob… More
Really illustrates the Japanese culture and how western people look at it from the outside. It's a film about how cultures and languages clashes and make life hard for the people from outside the country. The beauty of this film is that the characters feel "alone". Bob and Charlotte have similar problem and become very close when they are away from their wife and husband. A film that is so unique and people who like to travel can relate to it.
xGary X

Two Americans, one an ageing Hollywood star, the other a bored young housewife, find a common bond when stranded in the twilight hours of Tokyo. Sofia Coppola's fluffy piece of cinematic confection was very warmly received upon it's release, but this comedy drama is really… More
Two Americans, one an ageing Hollywood star, the other a bored young housewife, find a common bond when stranded in the twilight hours of Tokyo. Sofia Coppola's fluffy piece of cinematic confection was very warmly received upon it's release, but this comedy drama is really rather lacking in the latter and relies entirely on the formidable charms of Bill Murray's personality and Scarlett Johansson's looks. Murray is his usual appealing self, displaying his trademark stoic bewilderment and laconic quips when faced with some of the more bizarre aspects of Japanese popular culture. There are some funny scenes, usually at the expense of the fatuous and self absorbed actress played by Anna Faris who bears a striking resemblance to Cameron Diaz and I actually really enjoyed this film first time around when viewed in the company of friends and alcohol. Deprived of that convivial atmosphere however, it seemed to be a whole lot of nothing. Appealing but empty.
Steven C

I have never seen Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation" as a romance. This is a film about intimacy. Don't confuse the two here. These are two characters who are dealing with the same issues (disenchantment, loneliness, depression, ennui - the same issues present… More
I have never seen Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation" as a romance. This is a film about intimacy. Don't confuse the two here. These are two characters who are dealing with the same issues (disenchantment, loneliness, depression, ennui - the same issues present in all of her pictures) who happen to find each other at the right place at the right time. When I say that they 'find each other,' I'm again, not talking about romance. These are two people who need each other as mirrors. They need this intimacy to identify with each other and, separately, realize what they need in life. As the audience, their revelations are not privy to us, and that's how it should be. We are allowed to decide for ourselves what it is that we need to learn. Sofia Coppola is never concerned with telling us anything, she invites us into the scenes and by doing this we become apart of Bob and Charlotte's journey, knowing and not knowing just as much as them. It takes a very special filmmaker do achieve something like this. With the help of her fluid and symbolic photography and Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson's mesmerizing and gentle performances, Coppola makes "Lost in Translation" an unforgettable experience.
Dan S

A beautiful, subtle journey detailing two lonely people's lives and the chance meeting they encounter with one another in Japan. Richly detailed in culture, this is a moving film that shows two Americans mumbling their way through a city they first both hate, but come to love… More
A beautiful, subtle journey detailing two lonely people's lives and the chance meeting they encounter with one another in Japan. Richly detailed in culture, this is a moving film that shows two Americans mumbling their way through a city they first both hate, but come to love just for the sake of being with each other. Murray shows a different, lighter side that we haven't seen from him before, and Johansson is just as stunning as a distressed woman looking for companionship once her husband proves to be a consistent no-show in her life. This is a very touching film, with a quiet score to complement the two wonderfully restrained performances by Murray and Johannson. The ending is heartbreaking especially, I don't think it will ever leave me. Not everyone's cup of tea to be sure, but definitely a work of art.
Lewis C

Lost in Translation is subdued, melancholy, and off-beat. There are lots of uncomfortable silences, lingering glances, and there's a general feeling of despair that hangs over the heads of the two main characters. It's not very hard for a movie like this to appeal to me. I… More
Lost in Translation is subdued, melancholy, and off-beat. There are lots of uncomfortable silences, lingering glances, and there's a general feeling of despair that hangs over the heads of the two main characters. It's not very hard for a movie like this to appeal to me. I loved the fact that the movie was set in beautiful Tokyo, that really helped to push the theme of being "lost" on several different levels. Lost in a very different culture. Lost because of the barrier of language. Lost in relationships. Lost in the past. Lost in the future. You get the idea. The openess of the ending was both admirable and frustrating. You're free to put your own epilogue into the story, for better or for worse. For all the great things that Lost in Translation had going for it (including fine performances from Murray and Johansson), I didn't completely love it. No major complaints, it's just the kind of movie that I like, not love.
Lenny M

"Just didn't do it for me dog". I can appreciate the ethereal sentiment of the film but I didn't get into the characters or their relationships. I know it's a fish out of water environment but this Coppola don't know how to shoot Japan, chug… More
"Just didn't do it for me dog". I can appreciate the ethereal sentiment of the film but I didn't get into the characters or their relationships. I know it's a fish out of water environment but this Coppola don't know how to shoot Japan, chug chug-chug-chug-chug, sad but true.
Tony G

A plodding overrated film that relies on xenophobic jokes, Murray's patented brand of arrogant posturing and Johansson at her poutiest.
Conner R

Such an amazing movie, Sofia Coppola delivers a truly unique and unforgettable romance. Bill Murray gives a great performance in this and really broke from his normal routine. Scarlett Johansson was also perfect, I couldn't imagine anyone else bringing that character to life the… More
Such an amazing movie, Sofia Coppola delivers a truly unique and unforgettable romance. Bill Murray gives a great performance in this and really broke from his normal routine. Scarlett Johansson was also perfect, I couldn't imagine anyone else bringing that character to life the way she did. It manages to be a comedy and drama all in one without feeling like a certain genre.
Jeremy S

One of the most original and sincere comdies I have ever seen. A Brilliant film, amongst the very best of 2003.
Phil H

Had to rewatch this as Ive now been to Japan and seen it for myself, it makes the film much more believeable and touches me in a different way now, a whole new experience as I can relate to the story and the surroundings ^_^ The thing that struck me is how accurate the film is, I… More
Had to rewatch this as Ive now been to Japan and seen it for myself, it makes the film much more believeable and touches me in a different way now, a whole new experience as I can relate to the story and the surroundings ^_^ The thing that struck me is how accurate the film is, I know exactly how the main characters feel in and amongst the huge towering, crowded metropolis that is Tokyo, the strange feeling of being alone amongst hundreds and not being able to communicate, it is perfect. Coppola captures the small niches of the country and its people, how they live, eat and relax etc..its a very different world believe me and you can see this in Coppola's direction and use of locations. Of course the performances by Murray and Johansson are brilliant, just right and not forgetting Faris as the superstar airhead :) very good (and accurate) portrayal there. The look of the film is glorious of course (bring on the Blu), being filmed entirely in Tokyo and a little in Kyoto, it all looks so familiar now, makes me wanna go back. Much of the film was actually filmed live too, in front of hundreds of Japanese people who had no clue they were making a film! again that's impressive believe me, its also shows how different the Japanese are. No one batted an eyelid to the filming, they saw it as normal or uninteresting and no one batted an eyelid at Bill Murray, not a clue who he was and they didn't much care either haha anywhere else and I reckon people would stop and stare. A classic love tale and near perfect film.
Nicki M

Appreciated this much more after having been to Tokyo. Have amended my original review. Really enjoyed all the shots of Tokyo and could relate much more to this.
Anthony L

Sofia Coppola is a great director in her own right and it annoys me when people say she only got as far as she did because of her father/family. People complain about the plot and script, and although winning best screenplay for a film that depends mostly on ad-libbing is a bit… More
Sofia Coppola is a great director in her own right and it annoys me when people say she only got as far as she did because of her father/family. People complain about the plot and script, and although winning best screenplay for a film that depends mostly on ad-libbing is a bit suspicious, she thoroughly deserved the success she had. The ending with the 'whisper' is such a wonderful bit of cinema, its such a shame people can't see it for what it is, what was said doesn't matter, its the reaction that makes it so powerful. Brilliant stuff!
Cassie H

Average, ok kind of movie. It was interesteresting and very odd.