Rating: 
Summary: Not your typical Bill Murray vehicle.
Review: People exited the theaters en masse when they went to see Jack Lemmon in "Days of Wine and Roses" because it wasn't the sort of film he'd made before. More serious, not slapstick with broad humor. I think the same thing applies to "Lost In Translation." People go in thinking it's going to be another "What About Bob" or "Groundhog Day", and while both are great comedies, they're nothing like this film. It's peaceful and poetic, to make you think, not just eke guffaws from the audience. So keep that in mind if you choose to buy this.
Rating:
Summary: Better Every Time
Review: I saw "Lost in Translation" once in the cinema. I've watched the DVD five times. If you wonder why, it's probably because the film isn't long enough. To those who think the film slow I'd like to ask them how fast their lives are? This film isn't slow. It's just that the things that happens need you to look for them. It's not all out there. It's not all put into words. And I'm so happy for that. If you've seen the French flic called "The Green Ray" you'll know how rewarding a slightly meandering story can be. Anyhow, by comparison there's a lot going on in "Lost in Translation", brilliantlyconveyed through the mediums of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Through Bob Harris and Charlotte. ill Murray you are great. Scarlett, not only for this but also for Pearl Earring and Horse Whisperer, I want to have your baby. I think Sophia Copolla's taken a lot of garbage from morons for making a film that asks for a little effort. Forget it Sophia. Enough of us love this movie just as it is, and thank you for it over and over again. On a bad note, having watched it five times on DVD, I can appreciate the previews but would rather not be forced to watch them. That really sucks. I burn DVDs so I know how easy it would have been to give people a choice here. A black mark for the moron in marketing who decided this.
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money!!!
Review: I am mad at myself for pay per viewing this movie for $3.95!!!!Nice concept, no plot. If you have trouble sleeping, then just watch the movie. You will be asleep in no time!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Dissapointing
Review: The acting is very good, the movie well carfted, but the story, simply put, is not interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: A Rich Character Study
Review: In her second directorial project Sofia Coppola shows that her skills as a director were no mere fluke. This time she delves into the art of character study focusing on the lives of has-been actor Bob Harris, and unhappy and recently married Charlotte. What they both have in common is their feelings of unfulfillment in their lives, and this is magnified by their stay in Tokyo, Japan. Many complain of the lack of plot to this movie, but as I see it, the action of the movie lies not in what happens, but rather in how the characters interact with each other. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson play off each other well, as they look to each other to find something familiar to hold on to. These characters are definitely three dimensional, living and breathing on their own due to the excellent casting. This is probably Bill Murray's finest work due to the similarity of his character to himself. It is a shame that he didn't get the oscar for this part. The screenplay for this movie was simple and real, focusing on subtleties of commuinication and interacting, while giving us a glimpse of Japan's urban lifestyle. One must remember that this is the theme of the movie. We actually feel for Bob and Charlotte as they are unable to connect emotionally with the people around them. This is emphasized by the fact that they can't speak the language. The foreign aspect of Japan becomes a metaphor for their feelings of displacement in their lives. Often is the source of many of the humourous events in the movie, but it is done is a respectful manner showing Sofia's love for this city and country. And so it is that in finding each other they also find a new appreciation for life in general.
Rating: 
Summary: Bored out of my mind
Review: I usually enjoy snail pace movies with minimal dialogue and long periods of "meaningful" silence, yet this movie was somehow... dry. And SLOW to the point of being irritating. Granted, there were a few gems (electric curtain scene in the morning, low shower nozzle, ad production scene, etc), but the rest wandered off and formed an incoherent jumble of garish colours, neon lights, night clubs and bad karaoke. Even the dialogue was disappointing, especially for an art movie ("life is hard... but it gets easier... marriage is hard too... one day you'll find yourself" - semi-direct quotes). One word about Murray's performance though: phenomenal.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful film
Review: I don't pretend to know much about film, but I have to put in my two cents, given how polarized these reviews have been. I was captivated by this film from start to end. The music, the visuals, and the overall tone of the film really resonated with me. To me, Lost in Translation was about experiencing pleasure through a filter of sadness, hopelessness, and ennui. There was something very freeing about watching the subtle interactions of the two main characters as they lifted each other temporarily out of their respective fogs. It's made clear from the beginning that they would go right back to where they started from, but the warmth of their brief relationship is a lapse in their otherwise gray, pathetic lives. I wouldn't call this film a comedy per se, although there were comedic moments here and there. Nor is it a perfect film by any means, but it hits a very true note with some of us who have been one of the two main characters in some way at some point in our lives. I'm not advocating this film as a critic, but rather as a person who saw parts of herself in this story and rarely sees those parts portrayed in other films. It really is a disappointment to see some of the reviews for this film. According to other reviewers, anyone who doesn't like this film is either A) undereducated, or B) overeducated. There is plenty of room for other interpretations. Grow up, people!
Rating:
Summary: The last minute
Review: All I heard about for months from my American friends was "Lost in Translation." As I live in Japan and actually played piano at the Park Hyatt in the New York Bar & Grill for several years, I finally broke down and bought the DVD. I was expecting to see something wildly different, not to mention gut-bustingly funny, based on the clever trailers. I must honestly say that I almost turned off the film twice - especially during the karaoke sequence. As Sofia Coppola said herself, it was basically like a little "home movie." She went to the places she liked, she had the "characters" (I use that word loosely) at the hotel she liked, and she kind of followed them around as they floundered about in Tokyo. There were distinct moments when I thought Bill Murray (whom I love) was ad-libbing the scenes. Also, as others have pointed out, there really isn't a plot. Things just kind of unfold, and I too, felt the actors were just "real" people -- not really acting, just standing in front of a camera and making it up as they went along. And yet... by the time the film got to the last minute (and I won't give it away for those who haven't seen it), I felt something incredibly deep and sad. I felt like they had each found the right person and yet they would be going back to the wrong lives. It was very powerful, and despite the adlib feel of the entire film, when it came to the end, both the actors conveyed the emotion beautifully (something two "real" people off the street could not do). Scarlett Johansson was so beautiful that it was worth watching the film just to look at her -- although I feel the opening shot was absolutely pointless and my first thought was "Is Sofia a lesbian?" I didn't get it at all. The cinematography was great, and living here in Tokyo, I know how hard it was to get some of those incredible shots. As far as the film being "racist" -- the only moment that I felt uncomfortable with was at the sushi restaurant. It seemed like a weak, stupid joke, and the comment about the "r's" and "l's" was dumb as well -- but, hello, people -- this is how some people think and talk, especially those who have absolutely no understanding about Japan (like the Olsen twins, who said their only Japanese reference was "Lost in Translation" -- open a book, girls!). One thing that people who rave about this film might consider doing is turning on the English subtitles. They might be shocked at some of the inexplicable lyrics in the final song. I don't know what Sofia was thinking, or if she was thinking at all. She probably just liked the song. I can't imagine she listened carefully to the words. At any rate, if you don't mind taking a sort of ambling roundabout, strange and lazy journey through Tokyo for a couple of hours, you should (if you feel anything at all) be struck at how the last moment comes up and grabs you and makes you realize that maybe there is a right person in this world for each of us, but we may not realize it until it's too late -- or, even worse, may not make the effort to change our worlds to be with that person.
Rating:
Summary: Arbitrary Justification
Review: Alot of the reviews on Amazon have made me pretty confused. They told me to "keep an open mind" while watching this movie. Other reviewers praised the actors for being "real." What do these things mean? First of all, it doesn't make any sense that you would need to get in a different mindset just to watch a movie, especially in order to "get it." Why should anybody? It's just a movie, nothing more. The movie basically has no plot. Two characters with no significant meaning are stuck in Tokyo and their lives aren't that great... So they go and drink and have a mediocre time. People have said the actors are brilliant for being "real." No.. Aren't they ACTORS for a reason? Why would someone need to be an actor to portray being real? If they are, does that make them an exceptional actor? No, because they are real people too. The acting in this movie is barely existent. In the DVD extras thing, Sofia said that alot of Bill's onscreen lines were unscrpited, and he made up what to do.. in essence, just "being real." Which by definition, is not acting, so there you go. As another reviewer put it, the movie is about "being human" and living. So what? It is definately not exciting to watch. If you went to Tokyo and someone followed you around with a camera for a few days, then it could be on par with this movie. What is the point of a movie if it doesn't display anything interesting or unique? So, that's how we might behave if we go to Tokyo? So what? It doesn't mean anything. The movie is not interesting as a result, and that is why it bores the heck out of almost everyone that sees the thing. Just because it is different doesn't mean it is good, and in this case, it is definately not. Movies are meant to be displays of brilliant imagination, with compelling scenes and characters. What does it mean to us if all Sofia Coppola did was to catch a glimpse of human life on film, and a teeny glimpse at that? That's the point of actually living in the world. You don't need to see real life in a movie. Leave that for other things. If you want your own opinion on this movie, rent it, DON'T buy it first unless the store you get it from has a return policy for opened DVD's. PS- I did not like how the ending cut off. Some reviewers stated how that allowed them to "imagine the perfect ending." Maybe that allowed them to imagine the perfect movie to go along with it, and forget about the BORE-FEST that this movie really is...
Rating:
Summary: One of the best films I've ever seen.
Review: I find it very interesting that this film seems to provoke such potent and disparate reactions from people. I think to say that the reactions can be divided into the "car-chase loving neanderthal" and "beret-wearing art-film snob" camps may be oversimplifying things a bit. I can definitely say I understand why people would dislike this film. However, I loved everything about it, from the stunning cinematography to the soundtrack (I'm a big Kevin Shields fan and have been waiting forever for him to do ANYTHING of consequence) to the multi-faceted performances of the actors. This is the defining role of Bill Murray's career, and those who dismiss it as simply "Bill looking hang-dog and bored" are missing volumes in my estimation, as are those who dismiss the story as too minimalist.
The thing I liked best, though, was the fact that there were various points in the movie where I expected a cheesy cliche Hollywoodesque turn to occur, and it never happened. That, to me, is the mark of a great film. See it, and keep an open mind.
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