Bill Murray redefines his career with an in-depth look at mid-life crisis with a twist in Lost in Translation.Misplaced in pop-culture friendly Tokyo shooting commercials for a top Japanese Whiskey, Murray’s character "Bob Harris" is a famous American actor looking for an identity and trying to reinvent himself at the same time.
Long gone are the days of Caddyshack, Scrooge, Stripes and Ghostbusters. Murray has become a multi-dimensional complex character actor. There was a glimpse of this transformation in films like Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. Murray, under the direction of Sofia Coppola, takes a free-spirited intricate approach to the role of Harris that is unique and thoughtful.
Harris is a jaded, aging actor, and throughout the film, it becomes impossible to differentiate Murray from the character. An insomniac lounge lizard aimlessly looking for somebody to hold and understand him, Murray succeeds in presenting the traditional theme of the male mid-life dilemma of looking for happiness. Instead of buying a Corvette, Murray settles for the true love he finds in Scarlet Johansson’s character "Charlotte."
The two roam the streets of Tokyo and meet each other at a fancy hotel where they are staying. Young Charlotte is unhappy with her marriage, and Harris is there to give her attention.
Lost In Translation, directed and co-produced by Coppola, can appear to be a bleak comment on marriage, but it turns out to be a very mature love story about two lost souls in search of companionship. They find that in themselves, when they flirt at a karaoke party singing to each other. There’s a myriad of funny scenes when "Harris" tries to communicate with Japanese directors and TV hosts.
When the two meet, they begin their soul-searching mission and tour the city together. When "Harris" leaves Tokyo he confronts his demons head-on.
Lost in Translation is rated R for language. It is currently playing in major cities. q