I'm kind of late to this, but in the midst of last week's ridiculous schedule, I managed to squeeze in a screening of Lost in Translation, that included a chat with director/writer Sofia Coppola and cinematographer Lance Acord.
A lot of people I know have been praising this film, and a number of people I know have seen it two or three times. I kind of figured it was good, but I'm always skeptical as I don't know many people anymore whose film taste I trust implicitly.
Well, my friends were right. Times ten. I think LiT is truly remarkable; one of the finest films I've seen in a long time; certainly of any contemporary film. I cannot think of any film in recent memory which so consistently gets just about everything perfectly right, although that's kind of a lame thing to say as ultimately, it's not about what it gets right (or wrong), but about what it communicates and the story it tells, and on those counts, it's magnificent. Everything exists to serve the story and enrich our understanding of these characters; nothing is superfluous. It continuously plays upon the familiar but never tips over into cliche; it's neither too formal nor too loose (think: not Dogma 77); neither a bloated star-vehicle, nor a scrappy ramble; the two leads are sensational. I've always liked Bill Murray but this takes him to another level. It's almost as if this role and his performance couldn't have happened without the two or so decades of work he's done up till now. Scarlett Johansson is magical. I thought she was superb in Girl with a Pearl Earring. I had no idea she was this good. The two of them together are brilliant.
What magic. The scene when the two of them are in bed together (this is not a spoiler!), with the camera looking down at them...goodness...it takes my breath away. That camera doesn't move for a minute or more; maybe two or three; not one move, no cut, and just the two of them, barely moving, with long pauses in their dialogue, and it's just pure cinematic magic.
This is what movies can still be if people care, are smart, have talent, have courage, are respectful of the work that's preceded them while being fearless in tweaking the form, don't pander, don't underestimate their audience, and try and work damn hard. I've not had quite enough time to absorb it, and I should see it again, but I swear this is somewhere in a line of movies that starts with Breathless and continues through Chungking Express, although it is very much its own film that plays by its own set of rules.
No more analysis. All I know is, every once in a while, movies come along that are transformative; so resonant, evocative, and communicative that they reach all the way inside you and capture your heart...and mind; movies that makes you feel like it's about YOU; that makes you feel like you're the only one on earth who can possibly, exactly understand; it's that personal. This is one of those. Hats off to Sofia Coppola...hats very much off. I'm proud to have served you coffee years ago.
If you haven't seen this, rush to the cinema. Forget about the holiday fare...go see this.
