From: iain
Sofia Coppola's 'Lost in Translation' has just hit the UK's shores after
receiving rave reviews from both audiences and critics alike stateside.
I finally got the chance to check it out tonight as we're showing it
from Friday.
Around 10 minutes into the film I immediately picked up a sense of
deja-vu. Scarlett Johansson playing an alienated young girl in a world
she can't connect with, and doesn't seem to want to... oh yes, one of my
faves of 2001 'Ghost World'. Things were looking good, the film had the
same disconnected visual style and characterisation of 'Ghost World'.
The sense of alienation is one of the films motifs - the main
characters, played by Johansson and Bill Murray, at first observing
people they can't connect with, then invariably get drawn towards and
end up having a riot with. Just like in 'Ghost World'.
The real driving force in the film however is crisis. Two individuals
looking for something and finding each other. Johansson going through
the Quarter-Life crisis (which I've been and done myself) - what does it
all mean, what am I supposed to do with my life?, and Murray going
through the Mid-Life crisis - what did it all mean, what have I done
with my life? These two strong life changing episodes are what brings
the two characters together and makes them bond so strongly, and it
works... the chemistry between the two is extremely strong and you do
actually feel for them. They end up confessing to each other the kinds
of things that only strangers can, Johannsen is unhappy in her marriage
as is Murray.
Bill Murray is spot-on. However, I don't think the part was much of a
stretch from him - a faded movie star reduced to endorsing Japanese
products to pay the bills. Johansson is the real shining light in the
film, she is slowly staking her place in top notch leftfield hits, and
with 'Girl With a Pearl Earring' receiving similar reviews as LiT, she
is definitely one to watch.
The only real problem I had with the film is that unlike 'Ghost World'
it has no strong supporting characters, everyone apart from Johansson
and Murray are fleeting, we never get a real glimpse of the reasoning
behind either characters dilemmas. Some critics have stated that the
Japanese characters are stereotyped, but I don't belive we see enough of
them to truly say that. Much like the visual style, I personally felt
cut-off from the two main characters, with only my own personal
experiences to connect me to what was happening. Other than the
characters there's also a few things out of place about the setting - if
this was the real world a small petite blonde like Johansson would be
followed by many gaping Japanese businessmen... I'm not joking, that's
what happens to small blonde girls in Japan.
Although visually the neon of Tokyo is clinical and distant, I also find
it beautiful (I have always loved the visual side of Japan and it's
culture), and the contrast between Tokyo and Kyoto is breathtaking.
There's also a strange sense of vertigo in places, looking down on
skyscrapers from the tops of huge hotels is disconcerting, but in a nice
way. So visually it's a real feast, so top marks to Coppola on that
front.
Top marks also on the music which is abolutely top notch. The clinical
and spaced out ambient electronica perfectly matches the neon glitz of
Tokyo, and when the film moves to Kyoto the pad washes and laid back
keyboards give way to traditional Japanese music overlaid on the beats.
A personal favourite of mine, Peaches, is used with aplomb - in a strip
club, I'm sure she will love it.
Overall I really enjoyed it. It didn't live up to the hype surrounding
it, but I wasn't too dissapointed as it's still easily the best thing at
the multiplexes at the moment. A real crossover hit. I'm sure there are
people out there who will absolutely hate it, and to them I'd say stick
to the Hollywood blockbuster fodder.
(for a fully hyper-linked copy of this review see www.killyourtv.co.uk)
iain
