Lost In Translation

For our first selection we’ve chosen one of our favorite movies and directors. Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola.

Our selection is based on the city of Tokyo and the color palette that Sofia Coppola used to portray the bittersweet romance between two iconic characters, wonderfully played by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. 

Bill Murray plays Coppolla’s leading man, a has-been movie star named Bob Harris. She had previously mentioned that she wrote his character with Bill in mind, but casting him for the role was not an easy task. He is well known for being hard to reach. The actor not only doesn’t have a regular agent but also no regular telephone number to be reached on. Thankfully, the director and Murray shared a friend in common, and Murray eventually got his hands on the script and accepted the role, a dream come true for every screenwriter.

Charlotte, portrayed brilliantly by Scarlett Johansson, is a dreamy young woman who matches Murray’s character’s midlife lethargy with her own quarter-life crisis. She finds herself grappling with the existential questions common to her age. Where is my life going? What’s my purpose in life? Am I wasting my time here? 

The warmth and tenderness that Sofia elicits from both actors is a testament to her intelligent and superb directing. The result is a cinematic masterpiece, one of our all-time favorite movies, and also Bill Murray’s favorite project.