Marina Cervera Teruel

Applied Linguistics

TRANSLATING LOST IN TRANSLATION

Title: Lost in Translation

Genre: romantic comedy-drama

Starring: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson

Director: Sofia Coppola

Country and year: United States, 2003

II REVIEW

Lost in Translation shows the connection between Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte

(Scarlett Johansson), two strangers that create an anecdotic relationship when they meet in Tokyo.

Bob is a worn-out actor experiencing a midlife crisis. Charlotte is a young woman disillusioned

with her recent marriage. Both are Americans and are staying at the same hotel. They befriends and

share their life experiences while exploring Tokyo.

The plot is simple; I would say it needs to be simple because the movie explores very deep

themes, such as existentialism, loneliness and relationships. Sofia Coppola has an artistic sense of

aesthetics which demonstrate great sensitivity. I would say that the best point of the movie is that it

explores these topics in a very subtle way; there are not big dialogues. She recreates the feeling of

loneliness and strong emotions through silence and subtle details. The spectator is not watching the

movie, but is dragged into it. Sometimes the Japanese culture appears pretty stigmatised but I do not

see that as something negative. I think it is necessary to reflect the sense of disorientation of the

characters. It is not a movie about Japan, but about the perception life.
III PERSONAL IDENTITY AND PERSONAL TEACHING

Personally, I relate to Charlotte’s feelings. She is lost and confused; she just graduated

from college and it is unsure about the path she should follow in life. She feels there is something

wrong with her, but she does not know what is it. She cannot even define what she feels or find the

“root” of the problem. This emotional instability and uncertainty about the future defines us as

human beings. Graduating from college is a big step in our lives and most of us share her views.

As a teacher, I feel that watching it provides a big sense of empathy and comprehension

towards students. They are students, of course, but that is only one of the multiple roles they play in

life. They are human beings with their worlds, their minds and their problems, as any other person.

It is natural to feel lost at some point in life. It was very smart that Coppola chose characters at

different life stages. This reveals that we can all go through the same things and understand each

other regardless of the age. Another interesting point is the cultural shock and how it emphasises the

sense of disconnection.

IV EVOKING EMOTIONS

There is a particular image that speaks to me. The image of Charlotte sitting by the window

contemplating the city. It is a powerful image. Visually, it makes her feel small in front of the busy

lights of Tokyo. This reflects her spirit and sense of loss. I think we all feel reflected in her in one

way or another. The movie is defined as a romantic comedy-drama. Personally, I would say it is a

realistic movie. It portrays human beings just as they are, small creatures full of doubts. The movie

is extremely real and this is what makes it powerful.

V UNDERSTANDABILITY FOR OTHERS

The title can be understood both literally and figuratively. When we translate messages

from one language to another, there is always something lost in the way, there are always cultural

nuances that cannot be translated. In a more figurative sense, it refers to what it is lost when we

translate our feelings to another person. Emotions cannot be fully translated, or fully shared, since

we are all different. At a more deeper level, it can refer to our sense of loss and how we can

translate life in a meaningful way. Additionally, Coppola is well-known for her visual narrative. In

every movie, she recreates a dreamy colourful atmosphere, and Lost in Translation is not an

exception. Through this atmosphere she creates an intimate world for her characters, which is

perfect to deal with themes of isolation and solitude.

I believe this is one of those films that needs to be experienced alone. It asks for the full

attention of the viewer, or better said, the reader. As an spectator, you need to be fully active and

perceptive, you are not watching a movie, you are reading it. The narrative is mostly visual and the

feelings are mostly expressed through silences and small details. It is also important to mention that

it is not a film for everybody since is pretty “slow” compared to commercial productions. I feel

introverts can feel more related to it. Also, people interested in art, may like it. The aesthetics are

vibrant and beautiful.

VI CONCLUSION

I would say the movie stands out for its authenticity. The plot is simple and the construction of the

characters is, simply, brilliant. They are real and reflect us at some point in life. The relationship

Bob and Charlotte develop is ambiguous. There is love, but it is not a romantic nor an erotic one.

They feel a deep connection and full understanding with each other. Just as life; life is ambiguous, it

cannot be defined nor translated. This makes it a worth-seeing movie. At some point of our lives,

we have been Bob or Charlotte; at some point we all need to make sense of our lives.