Lost in Translation

Details

Bob Harris is an ageing American film star who is well past his sell-by date. He's one of those actors who can easily be labelled as a "has-been", reduced to late-night television appearances and whatever work happens to come his way.

Accepting that his Hollywood career has all but ended, Bob has resigned himself to being under the thumb of his wife and picking up whatever scraps of work are thrown his way. His latest morsel of work has him arriving in Tokyo to shoot a commercial for a whiskey he's never even heard of, let alone tasted. With little to occupy him beyond the hotel bar, he drifts through a haze of jet lag, cultural confusion and distant conversations with his wife back home.

Charlotte, meanwhile, is a young American woman accompanying her workaholic photographer husband John. Whilst he spends his time working with models and celebrities, Charlotte is left to wander Tokyo alone, taking in its fascinating sights but feeling increasingly disconnected and unsure of her place in the world. Young, intelligent and quietly lost, she is searching for meaning in a life that feels directionless.

When the two meet during a sleepless night in the hotel bar, an unlikely bond forms. What begins as a simple shared loneliness gradually develops into a subtle and deeply affecting friendship, as both begin to find comfort, understanding and a renewed sense of perspective in one another.

Picture & Sound

With many of the scenes set in dark and dimly lit interiors, grain and a general lack of image clarity can occasionally be an issue. However, for the most part the picture is bright and reasonably colourful, with a surprisingly high level of detail. The colours are often deliberately understated, with a cool blue filter giving the film its distinctive tone. Whilst this can feel a little oppressive during interior scenes, the vibrant cityscapes of Tokyo look wonderful. Considering the modest budget, the print remains clean and largely free from dust or damage.

In a slightly unusual choice, the disc includes both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 soundtracks. Given the film's dialogue-driven nature, there is little need for both, but each performs perfectly well. Most of the audio remains centred on dialogue, with subtle use of the front channels and only occasional ambient effects in the surrounds. It may not be spectacular, but it suits the film perfectly.

The inclusion of a DTS track feels somewhat unnecessary, especially given the lack of an audio commentary. If anything, the space could have been better used to improve picture compression. That said, removing it would leave the disc feeling rather sparse.

As a footnote, playback proved a little problematic on PC. Whilst the disc refused to play correctly using PowerDVD, it worked without issue in Windows Media Player. If the retail version behaves the same, those using PC playback or cheaper DVD players may want to keep their receipt.

Menu & Extras

The main menu is simply animated and scored, whilst the submenus are static and silent. Extras-wise, there is a reasonable selection of featurettes and deleted scenes, although some feel like filler. A notable omission is an audio commentary, which is surprising given Sofia Coppola's clear passion for the project.

The highlight is the 30-minute Lost on Location featurette, which follows Coppola throughout the shoot and provides some genuinely interesting insights. From guerrilla-style filming in Tokyo (including filming a street from inside a Starbucks whilst pretending to drink coffee), to Bill Murray's improvisational moments, it offers a good behind-the-scenes look at the production. The shorter Conversation with Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, filmed on a rooftop in Rome, adds little that hasn't already been covered.

Also included are four deleted scenes which, given the film's relaxed pacing, were likely cut for timing. In truth, they would have fitted in quite nicely and added a touch more humour. The Matthew's Best Hit TV segment extends Bob's surreal Japanese TV appearance, although its novelty wears thin quickly. Rounding things off are a music video from an artist you've never hear of, and the theatrical trailer.

Overall

What interests me the most about Lost in Translation is that the usual political correctness brigade quickly jumped on board and complained about the supposedly offensive portrayal of Japanese people and their culture.

However, a friend of mine who is deeply immersed in Japanese culture - and even has a Japanese wife - insists that the film is absolutely spot on. From my own travels, it's easy to see how being in a foreign culture can be both confusing and fascinating, something the film captures brilliantly. If anything, it's the "westerners" who come across as the odd ones. I've always wanted to visit Japan, and after watching this film, even more so.

Murray delivers a wonderfully understated performance in a role that suits him perfectly. Mind you, some may assume that just because Bill Murray is in the film it is a straight comedy. It's not. Lost in Translation is more of a drama with subtle elements of comedy and as a result it may not be everyone's cup of tea. This is no Caddyshack or Ghostbusters, and if you're expecting something as such then you should definitely avoid.

This really is a gem of a film, and it's a real shame that Bill Murray lost out at the Oscars. It's an even greater credit to writer/director Sofia Coppola that she stayed true to her vision and brought it to the screen. Lost in Translation is one of my favourite films of 2004; it's just a shame that Sofia Coppola couldn't provide an audio commentary - after all, it was her film.

Special features

• Lost On Location - Behind The Scenes Featurette
• Matthews Best Hit TV Extended Scenes
• Kevin Shields "City Girl" Music Video
• A Conversation With Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer