Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation is a (2003) motion picture. It was the second writing and directorial effort of Sofia Coppola, after The Virgin Suicides.

Reaction

Boosted by critical acclaim and audience word-of-mouth, this modest feature film (with only a $4 million budget) became a comparative box office hit. Lost in Translation has been praised not only for Coppola's script and distinctive directing, but especially for Murray, who by most accounts gave the performance of his career. Johansson (only nineteen at the time) also received notice for her strong performance.

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Some have strongly criticised the movie for being what is perceived to be a stereotyped and unsympathetic portrayal of Japanese culture. Many of the Japanese characters serve as comic relief and much of the humor is at their expense based on common Japanese stereotypes, such as their mispronouncing English or their relatively short stature. This position is not universally held as others have defended the film against these allegations. One Peter Sattler, in a letter to movie critic David Edelstein of Slate, wrote that "the feelings of strangeness are entirely in the American characters. The camera records beauties—cultural and natural—that the 'lost' visitors are unable to register or understand.... In the movie, Japanese culture estranges you from American culture—makes American culture look strange and dubbed, as much as the other way around." According to proponents of the film, it should be understood that the alien landscape of Tokyo serves largely to illustrate the alienation the main characters experience, a feeling that persists not because they are in a foreign land, but because they are human.

Related Topics:
Japan - Slate - Camera

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