Best of the Decade #4: Lost in Translation (2003)
After a promising directorial debut with The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola proved it was no fluke when her follow-up film, the 2003 masterpiece Lost in Translation became something of a phenomenon. It opened in just 23 theatres, but it ended up grossing almost $120 million worldwide. Coppola had officially stepped out of her father’s shadow and found her own voice, but she also established herself as one of the most exciting and prominent female directors working today.
A lot of disparate things came together to make this movie such a huge success, but there’s no question that one of the most important decisions Coppola made was casting Bill Murray as washed-up movie star Bob Harris. The story goes that he was a difficult man to track down, despite the fact that his career had been revived (and somewhat transformed) with Wes Anderson’s Rushmore, but Sofia Coppola’s persistence paid off (both for her and Murray). His performance perfectly walked the line between comedy and drama, and earned him his only Oscar nomination to date. The movie also received nominations for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay (which it won) and Best Director, making Coppola the only American woman to receive this honour.
Then there’s Scarlett Johansson. Before Lost in Translation she was known for performances in movies like Ghost World, The Horse Whisperer and maybe Home Alone 3, but after this movie it didn’t take long for her to become an A-list actress. This was a turning point in her career, and as an 18-year-old playing 25 she showed surprising maturity and talent beyond her years. ScarJo has certainly been one of the biggest success stories of the decade, being voted Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire Magazine in 2006 and even launching a music career.
As for the movie itself, it’s a touching story of temporary (and platonic) love, and finding a soul mate somewhere that you least expect. Coppola crafted a pitch perfect film, avoiding every possible cliche, and drawing upon some of her own personal experiences in order to capture a feeling of isolation and emptiness. The haunting soundtrack is one of my personal favourites of all time, and the Tokyo backdrop provides beautiful imagery along with plenty of opportunities for humour. Lost in Translation also sheds light on the trend of Hollywood actors doing wacky Japanese commercials for a quick buck, something that had been a bit of a secret up until that point. As the world was becoming more globally connected than ever before, Coppola pointed out that sometimes we’re still farther apart than we realize.
Whether or not you’re a fan of Sofia Coppola’s work, it’s hard to argue with the fact that Lost in Translation is one of the pivotal films of this decade, and has earned its place on our Top 20 list.
Check out previous entries from our Top 20 Films of the ’00s.
Comments (31)
I was really enjoying the list until this entry. Seriously, the fourth best of the decade? I personally thought it was a terrible film. Apart from maybe the opening shot.
Posted by Stepen on December 24th, 2009Hmm, could well be the greatest opening shot in movie history.
I like this movie, but it would not make my list.
Posted by KeithTalent on December 24th, 2009Anytime someone I’m with comes across bad Engrish, someone else will say “Lip my stocking Missah Bob Harris” within seconds.
I worked at a video store when this hit DVD and other than Elephant and Dogville, this was the most divisive film on the shelf that year. Not to generalize, but most of the people who didn’t like it were either the kind of people who looked forward to S.W.A.T. or the knid of people who looked forward to Cheaper by the Dozen
Posted by Goon on December 24th, 2009Agreed with Stephen. I absolutely hated this film. But to each their own. And this is coming from a Japanophile! Perhaps that’s why. I do like the imagery though… I think I just didn’t “get” the story or something.
Posted by joe on December 24th, 2009I really don’t see what there is to hate, for years I’ve heard people just make outright declarations of hate, but very little in detail about what is actaully wrong with it.
Posted by Goon on December 24th, 2009This deserves to be on here. Maybe not ‘quite’ this high, but I have no complaints. I’ve loved her other film after this too, but not so much “Virgin Suicides.”
I’m not 100% sure on the validity of the fact that Sofia made this movie based on her experience with Harrison Ford, when she was in Japan, with former husband Spike Jonze. I’m sure that’s not the case, but I remember reading that when it was first released.
Posted by Jim The Movie Freak on December 24th, 2009One of my own alltime favourites. A good pick guys.
Posted by Kasper on December 24th, 2009@Goon
“Not to generalize, but most of the people who didn’t like it were either the kind of people who looked forward to S.W.A.T. or the knid of people who looked forward to Cheaper by the Dozen” That’s fucking awesome!
This is a great pick and it deserves it’s high placement. This is a movie that I have revisited quite a bit. It has a tranquil quality that makes it a good choice when you really don’t want to think about what you want to watch. I can understand guys in their 20’s not really relating to this film I think you have to have lived it a bit.
@Sean
Posted by xego on December 24th, 2009Did you on your Japan trip see any of the same places ect. from the film?
I did, but I haven’t rewatched the movie in a while. I should probably do that.
Posted by Sean on December 24th, 2009I really like the movie, don’t get me wrong, but it would have been just outside my top 20. There are too many other great films I would have to put ahead of this one. Surprised this one was at 4 on the FJ list to be honest.
Posted by KeithTalent on December 24th, 2009@Goon
What does it mean if a person liked “Lost in Translation” AND “Cheaper by the Dozen”?
Not that such a person exists…
Posted by Falsk on December 24th, 2009“What does it mean if a person liked “Lost in Translation†AND “Cheaper by the Dozenâ€?”
I remember her as the middle aged woman who always shopped in her pajamas and usually rented foreign films.
Posted by Goon on December 24th, 2009Just watched it yesterday and remembered why I love it. It’s a great mood piece, with quality acting and a sweet and an involving story. A big part of its success comes down to the protagonists not getting together in the end. Their encounter was beneficial/enlightening for both in different ways, but life goes on for them and they will just have to deal with it.
Posted by AlexG on December 24th, 2009Great pick!
For me, Lost in Translation is one of the most rewatchable films I’ve ever seen. It’s incredibly sincere, looks beautiful, and the soundtrack blends the package into, like somebody said earlier, a top-notch mood piece. I couldn’t agree more with this choice.
Posted by Neil M on December 24th, 2009A boring film about spoiled, boring people. Oh, poor, rich privileged people with nothing to do so they hang out together. Oh, how sad they are both married and he is way to old for her so (and this is also so sad) he boinks the singer instead of the p**ck tease and she is soooo jealous. How sad. There always seems to be 120 million dollars worth of vacuous, bored, spoiled people out there to rave about a boring piece of pointless, molding tripe like this movie.
Posted by Morris on December 24th, 2009That’s an extremely shallow assessment Morris. I could turn it right around and make a shallow generalizing statement that poor people are vacuous and boring because they get stuck in small towns, are uneducated and never have any life experience.
You’re painting with a really broad brush.
And besides, this assumes that a person can’t enjoy a movie with an unlikable or shallow main character. There are things you can learn from a “spoiled” person who doesn’t appreciate what they have, and besides, at the end of this film both of these main characters use their experience together to take a positive step in their lives and better appreciating what they have.
That’s a lesson someone from any economic background should be able to take to heart. I’m sorry man, but if you think this movie is “pointless”, I’d say it’s you who missed the point.
Happy Snowflake Day.
Posted by Goon on December 24th, 2009Bottom line – rich poor black white left right, there are some problems that are plain old universal, no matter where you go. It’s disheartening to see someone write something off because the main characters are well off.
I’d be just as annoyed to see someone write off the story in All The Real Girls, which does share some things in common with this film, for a reverse bias.
“Who cares about these vacuous uneducated hicks. He’s a psychopath and she’s soooo pure right and she does that other dude i mean wtf How Sad.”
Posted by Goon on December 24th, 2009I didnt like this movie at all. I found it extremely boring, uninteresting and found nothing entertaining at all.
Posted by Niklas on December 25th, 2009I just lost all respect for filmjunk. Worst pick by far.
Posted by Soop28 on December 25th, 2009Goon was spot on about people declaring hatred for it without any real insight into why they think it is a bad film. Calling it “boring” is hardly sufficient. I know plenty of people that find There Will Be Blood boring.
Posted by Booma on December 25th, 2009Very surprised about all the hate for this movie. I had no idea. Sorry to hear you all can’t get into this amazing flick.
Posted by Sean on December 26th, 2009I’ve never seen this film but after this recommendation I’ll check it out. I think I own it…
Posted by Nick Robertson on December 26th, 2009I’ll let you fellas know.
#4? Too low. This film was always a lock for top two imo.
Sure, the humour is sometimes overdone, and culturally clumsy (the “lip my stocking” scene should have hit the cutting room floor), but as a woozy tone poem of (unearned?) ennui and a sense of dislocation it is spot on.
Marie Antoinette in the top three then? (Sofia Coppolla stan over here)
Posted by DavidM on December 26th, 2009I love this movie, though think seeing it by myself definitely contributed to its effect. I imagine seeing it for the first time and having a group of friends in tow would dampen the story, even if they were all cinema lovers that appreciated the cinematography, soundtrack & score, editing, casting, etc.
Posted by mrbenning on December 26th, 2009“Lost in Translation also sheds light on the trend of Hollywood actors doing wacky Japanese commercials for a quick buck, something that had been a bit of a secret up until that point.”
Depends on your point of view, I mean it was spoofed on Friends.
Posted by Henrik on December 26th, 2009Though I just looked it up, and maybe that was after this movie came out?
Posted by Henrik on December 26th, 2009This isn’t my favorite film of the decade but it’s my favorite film of all-time. It’s the one film that has stuck with more than any other film to have come out in my lifetime. I was 22 when I saw back in 9/21/03 and ended up seeing it two more times for the remainder of the year.
I believe it is one of the best films ever. Those who hate it are those who are either really pretentious people or have very cheap taste in films so fuck them.
This film spoke to me more than anything that I’ve seen. There’s shots that is still breathtaking in its images. I watch it once every 9/21 not just because it was the day that I first saw it but it’s also Bill Murray’s birthday. He should’ve won the Oscar that year. Not Sean Penn, though great performance but he was better in “21 Grams”.
Scarlett though, never topped this film or the performance after that in “Girl with a Pearl Earring” as I think she is just coasting by and such never fulfilling the promise she had early in her career. Something that has disappointed me over the years.
It’s a film that I will always watch and it will never be topped for me at all. This deserves to be in the list and for me, it is the best film of the decade and I will definitely anticipate what Sofia Coppola will do next with “Somewhere”. I’ll be there opening night.
Posted by Steven Flores on December 26th, 2009I’m not surprised to see that this was on the tops list but I am surprised that it came in so high. That said this is a great film, especially for people who’ve visited Tokyo Japan. The film captured the city perfectly and was worth seeing on the big screen.
By the way the opening shot of Scarlett’s undies is priceless. ^_^
Posted by Marc on December 27th, 2009I love this film. Top ten of the decade for me too.
Posted by Paul Andrews on December 27th, 2009This film was good, but nothing more.
Posted by Billy Boyd Cape on December 30th, 2009“I believe it is one of the best films ever. Those who hate it are those who are either really pretentious people or have very cheap taste in films so fuck them.” – why dont you take this movie and shove it up your fucking ass. Im not pretentious AND I dont have a cheap taste, but still think this movie sucks.
Posted by Niklas on December 31st, 2009Leave a Reply