|
By
DEBORAH NICOL
Lost in the chapters of
life, the human race gets muddled in transition.
Whether it is finding a calling in the real world
or the emergence of a midlife crisis, life is
easier with a guide to the next stage. Sometimes
such a shaman comes in the form of a fellow,
similarly befuddled traveler, that's also trying
to find her way, and sometimes one has to truly
loose oneself before he can find his course again.
Such is the journey described in Sofia Coppola's
brilliant, beautiful film, "Lost in Translation."
Bill Murray portrays an actor who's lost his path
and no longer enjoys acting, and is now on a side
road, taking advantage of his ability to make
money but deriving no pleasure from the process.
While on a whiskey ad campaign in Tokyo, he
crosses side roads with Scarlett Johansson, whose
aimless character follows her successful
photographer husband around the world, only to be
left behind in their hotel room. As jetlag creates
insomnia, a shared desire for respect and
understanding creates a bond of reassurance
between the two lost souls.
In the transition from one point of comfort to the
next, there is an awkward period involving the
personal acknowledgement of previous faults and
future desires. Occasionally, in order to gain the
confidence to move onto the next school of wisdom,
the student must be told not only that they have
not failed thus far, but that they will succeed in
the future -– a shining beacon that all is not
hopeless. As a child, the words "Everything is
gonna be alright" come from a parent's comforting
mouth. As an adult, actions may come from a soul
mate found outside the usual intimate circle of
family and friends. Strangers in a strange land
encourage one another, find out that in confusion
there isn't always loneliness, and when trying to
find oneself, sometimes the beacon simply needs to
be repositioned.
Since her last film, "The Virgin Suicides,"
Coppola has improved, and is now being subtle
without being vague, and provides a greater impact
through her characters without the need for shock.
Murray continues to prove himself as a superior
dramatic and comedic actor, exceeding expectations
raised from his previous performances in Wes
Anderson films. His natural desire to make people
laugh does not overshadow or contrast distinctly
with scenes of aching gentleness. Complementing
his performance is that of seemingly
wise-beyond-her-years Johansson, gravely-voiced It
girl of her generation. She achieves audience
sympathy without pity or emotional excess.
Disappointedly, there is no director's commentary
for this arresting film, but there is an amusing
behind-the-scenes feature that was created during
the month-long shoot, not with the usual
after-the-fact interviews. Other DVD extras
include the film's entire talk show interview, a
music video, deleted scenes, and a short
conversation with the director and Murray. |
