Lost in Translation

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Awards

Academy Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Actor in Leading Role

Academy Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Director

Academy Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Picture

Academy Awards 2004 - Won - Best Writing

Academy Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Actor in Leading Role

Academy Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Director

Academy Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Picture

Academy Awards 2004 - Won - Best Writing

American Cinema Editors 2004 - Nominated - Best Edited Feature Film

American Screenwritiers Assocation 2004 - Nominated - Discover Screenwriting Award

Art Directors Guild 2004 - Nominated - Excellence in Production Desgin

Assocation of Polish Filmmakers Critics 2005 - Won - Best Foreign Film

Athens International Film Festival 2003 - Wono - Golden Athena

Australian Film Institute 2004 - Nominated - Best Foreign Film

BAFTA 2004 - Nominated - Best Cinematography

BAFTA 2004 - Nominated - Best Film

BAFTA 2004 - Nominated - Best Screenplay

BAFTA 2004 - Won - Best Editing

BAFTA 2004 - Won - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

BAFTA 2004 - Won - Best Performance by an Actressin a Leading Role

Bangkok International Film Festival 2004 - Nominated - Best Film

BFCA 2004 - Nominated - Best Actor

BFCA 2004 - Nominated - Best Director

BFCA 2004 - Nominated - Best Picture

BFCA 2004 - Nominated - Best Supporting Actress

BFCA 2004 - Nominated - Best Writer

Bodil Awards 2005 - Won - Best American Film

BSFC 2003 - Won - Best Actor

BSFC 2003 - Won - Best Actress

BSFC 2003 - Won - Best Director

CFCA 2004 - Nominated - Best Actress

CFCA 2004 - Won - Best ACtor

CFCA 2004 - Won - Best Actress

CFCA 2004 - Won - Best Cinematography

CFCA 2004 - Won - Best Screenplay

Chlotrudis Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Actor

Chlotrudis Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Actress

Chlotrudis Awards 2004 - Nominated - Best Cinematography

Chlotrudis Awards 2004 - Won - Best Director

Chlotrudis Awards 2004 - Won - Best Movie

Chlotrudis Awards 2004 - Won - Best Screenplay

COFCA 2004 - Won - Best Picture

COFCA 2004 - Won - Best Screenplay, Original

view all

Lost in Translation

Director:
Sofia Coppola
R, 102 Minutes
 

At A Glance

Film Synopsis

Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) are two Americans in Tokyo. Bob is a movie star in town to shoot a whiskey commercial, while Charlotte is a young woman tagging along with her workaholic photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi). Unable to sleep, Bob and Charlotte cross paths one night in the luxury hotel bar. This chance meeting soon begins a surprising friendship. Charlotte and Bob venture through Tokyo, having often hilarious encounters with its citizens, and ultimately discover a new belief in life's possibilities. Shot entirely on location in Japan, Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation is a valentine to the nature of close friendships and to the city of Tokyo. Ms. Coppola's film, from her original screenplay, contemplates the unexpected connections we make that might not last - yet stay with us forever.

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Our Take

"Sofia Coppola has captured the essence of disorientation and isolation which can plague us all in this visually arresting, beautifully acted drama."

Others Who Liked the Film

 

Details

MPAA:
Rated R for some sexual content.

Runtime:
102 min.

Genres:
Drama
Romance

Countries:
UNITED STATES
JAPAN

Language:
English/American

Color:
Color

Certification:
R

Tagline

Everyone wants to be found. Sometimes you have to go halfway around the world to come full circle

 

Memorable Quotes

Bob: What are you doing? 


Charlotte: My husband's a photographer, so he's here working. I wasn't doing anything so I came along. 

Bob: What do you do? 

Charlotte: I'm not sure yet, actually.
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Bob: Can you keep a secret? I'm trying to organize a prison break. We have to first get out of this bar, then the hotel, then the city, and then the country. Are you in or you out?

Charlotte: I'm in. 
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Charlotte: I just don't know what I'm supposed to be. Bob: You'll figure that out. The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.
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Charlotte: I tried taking pictures, but they were so mediocre. I guess every girl goes through a photography phase. You know, horses... taking pictures of your feet. 
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Stills Photographer: Are you drinking, no? 

Bob: Am I drinking? As soon as I'm done. 
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Charlotte: You're probably just having a mid-life crisis. Did you buy a Porsche yet? 

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Kelly: John, John. You are my favorite photographer. 

John: Ohhh... 

Kelly: No. You are. I only want you to shoot me. It's true. [both laugh] Oh my God, I have the worst B.O. right now, I'm sorry. [both laugh again] 
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Bob: For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.
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Charlotte: That was the worst lunch. 

Bob: So bad. What kind of restaurant makes you cook your own food? 
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[after a long speech in Japanese] Ms. Kawasaki: He want you to turn and look in camera. Okay?

Bob: Is that all he said?
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Premium Fantasy woman: Mr. Kazu sent me, premium fantasy. My stockings. Rip them. [sounds like "lip them"] Premium Fantasy woman: Rip my stockings. Yes, please, rip them. 

Bob: What? 

Premium Fantasy woman: Rip them. HEY! Rip my stocking! 

Bob: Hey? Lip them? Lip them? What? 
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[rolling around on the floor, waving her legs in the air] Premium Fantasy woman: Oh Mr. Harris! Don't touch me! Mr. Bob Harris! Just rip my stocking! 
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Bob: I don't get that close to the glass until I'm on the floor.
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[at a photo shoot] Bob: You want more mysterious? I'll just try and think, "Where the hell's the whiskey?" 
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Stills Photographer: You know double-O-7? 

Bob: He drinks martinis, but all right. 
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Kelly: I'm under Evelyn Waugh. 

Charlotte: Evelyn Waugh was a man. 
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John: Why do you have to point out how stupid everyone is all the time? 
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Lydia Harris: [over the phone] Is this a bad time? 

Bob: [pauses] No, it's always a good time. 

Lydia Harris: The burgundy carpet is out of stock: it's going to take twelve weeks. Did you like any of the other colors? 

Bob: Whatever you like - I'm just completely lost. 

Lydia Harris: It's just carpet. 

Bob: That's not what I'm talking about. 

Lydia Harris: What are you talking about? 

Bob: I don't know. I just want to... get healthy. I would like to start taking better care of myself. I'd like to start eating healthier - I don't want all that pasta. I would like to start eating like Japanese food. 

Lydia Harris: [icily] Well, why don't you just stay there and you can have it every day? 

Bob: [biting his tongue] How are the kids doing? Lydia Harris: They're fine. They miss their father. [pause] 

Lydia Harris: Do I need to worry about you, Bob? 

Bob: Only if you want to. 
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Bob: You're not hopeless. 
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Bob: I was feeling tight in the shoulders and neck, so I called down and had a Shiatsu massage in my room... 

Charlotte: Mmh, that's nice! 

Bob: And the tightness has completely disappeared and been replaced by unbelievable pain. [Charlotte laughs] 
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Bob: It gets a whole lot more complicated when you have kids. 

Charlotte: It's scary. 

Bob: The most terrifying day of your life is the day the first one is born. 

Charlotte: Nobody ever tells you that. 

Bob: Your life, as you know it... is gone. Never to return. But they learn how to walk, and they learn how to talk... and you want to be with them. And they turn out to be the most delightful people you will ever meet in your life. 

Charlotte: That's nice. 
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Bob: Enjoy your fright. 
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Bob: Enjoy my jacket, which you stole from me. 
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Charlotte: So, what are you doing here? 

Bob: Uh, a couple of things. Taking a break from my wife, forgetting my son's birthday. And, uh, getting paid two million dollars to endorse a whiskey when I could be doing a play somewhere.

Charlotte: Oh. 

Bob: But the good news is, the whiskey works. 
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Charlotte: Let's never come here again because it will never be as much fun. 
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Bob: I don't want to leave. 

Charlotte: So don't. Stay here with me. We'll start a jazz band. 
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Charlotte: 25 years. That's uh, well it's impressive. 

Bob: Well you figure, you sleep one-third of your life, that knocks out eight years of marriage right there. So you're, y'know, down to 16 in change. You know you're just a teenager, at marriage, you can drive it but there's still the occasional accident. 
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Charlotte: [after Bob tells her of his back pain] I'm in pain, I got my foot banged up. Wanna see it?

Bob: [to Chef, sarcastically] How do you say no? [sees the foot] Oh, my gosh! When did you do this? 

Charlotte: I did it the other day, it hurts, y'know? 

Bob: Didn't you feel any pain? 

Charlotte: Yeah, it really hurt. 

Bob: That toe is almost dead. [Charlotte laughs]

Bob: I think I got to take you to a doctor, you can't just put that back in the shoe. Well, you either go to a doctor or you leave it here. [regarding Chef]

 Bob: He's smiling. You like that idea? See they love black toe in this country. [Charlotte continues laughing] 
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Director: [in Japanese] Mr. Bob-san, you are relaxing in your study. On the table is a bottle of Suntory whiskey. Got it? Look slowly, with feeling, at the camera, and say it gently - say it as if you were speaking to an old friend. Just like Bogie in Casablanca, "Here's looking at you, kid" - Suntory time. 

Translator: Umm. He want you to turn, looking at camera. OK? 

Bob: That's all he said? 

Translator: Yes. Turn to camera. 

Bob: All right. Does he want me to turn from the right, or turn from the left? 

Translator: [to director, in Japanese] Uh, umm. He's ready now. He just wants to know if he's supposed to turn from the left or turn from the right when the camera rolls. What should I tell him?

Director: [in Japanese] What difference does it make! Makes no difference! Don't have time for that! Got it, Bob-san? Just psych yourself up, and quick! Look straight at the camera. At the camera. And slowly. With passion. Straight at the camera. And in your eyes there's... passion. Got it? 

Translator: [to Bob] Right side. And with intensity. OK? 

Bob: Is that everything? It seemed like he said quite a bit more than that. 

Director: [to Bob, in Japanese] Listen, listen. This isn't just about whiskey. Understand? Imagine you're talking to an old friend. Gently. The emotions bubble up from the bottom of your heart. And don't forget, psych yourself up! 

Translator: Like an old friend. And, into the camera. 

Bob: OK. 

Director: [in Japanese] Got it? You *love* whiskey. It's *Suntory* time. OK? 

Bob: OK. 

Director: OK? 

Bob: [nods] 

Director: [to crew] OK!

 

 

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