CINOSOPHY: Film with meaning Lost in Translation, directed by Sofia Coppola
Lost in Translation is an American feature film directed by Sofia Coppola. An existential melodrama about the relationship of two lonely Americans – an adult, successful man and a young girl – who find themselves in a foreign Japan.
The film premiered on August 29, 2003 at the Telluride International Film Festival.
In total, the film received 77 various film awards and was nominated for another 66.
Is love and a strong personal bond with the film good or bad for a review? Surely we can say that this is unprofessional. However, I do not pretend to be called a professional film critic or film expert. Therefore, I can afford such an experiment. I will write this review before viewing (I think, the fourth or fifth in a row), and then I can add a postscript.
It will focus on the film Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola. The daughter of a famous director, she was able to find her own unique style and language, which is noticeable in her debut work, the memorable film Virgin Suicide (1999), and in this film, that became her second and the most successful.
Here Sofia also acted as a screenwriter, and the film was noted both by American film academics (four nominations and an Oscar for the best screenplay) and the love of viewers around the world, because with a budget of $ 4 million this film grossed nearly 120.
When talking about Sofia Coppola, you always want to draw parallels with the fate of her cousin, Nicolas Cage, who took a pseudonym out of a desire not to be in the shadow of his famous film name. Sofia, however, had the courage not to be afraid of the burden of responsibility, and she became an absolutely independent creative unit, known to new generations of viewers even more than her father. All her films are united by the theme of finding her place in this world and a special hypnotic atmosphere, and today’s subject of discussion is no exception.
The name Lost in translation seems to hint to us clearly that we will see a picture of the clash of representatives of different cultures, who find it so difficult to understand each other. The beginning of the film, it would seem, confirms this idea, but when the film is selected from the first act, it becomes clear that such opinion risks being superficial.
We observe two heroes, each of whom is lost in its own way. They try to explain to each other what is in their souls but human methods of communication are so imperfect. Perhaps in the end they still succeed, but we will never find out, because the last scene will remain one of the greatest mysteries of modern cinema.
I would also like to mention the duet of Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray. In my subjective opinion, this is one of the most striking film incarnations of the actress, along with the role in Match Point. And Murray is really brilliant in his body language and, most importantly, the expressions of his eyes that convey universal longing. He considers the role in this picture to be the best in his career. Together, they show how two people, so different at first glance, can be so similar in what matters.
A lot of people consider this film to be pop, and the work of Sofia Coppola as a whole is unsubstantiated and not sharp enough. However, I pay more attention to how she brilliantly manages to convey the mood of her characters, trying to find answers to existential questions. And this film is the best in her filmography.
P.S. I could write a few more articles about color and music in this movie. But I will just advise you to dissolve in it. For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.
