SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: LOST IN TRANSLATION

"LOST IN TRANSLATION"
(2003) (Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	None	Heavy	Minor	Mild

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Minor	None	None	Heavy	Moderate

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Minor

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A disillusioned actor and an equally lost photographer's wife meet in Tokyo and become fast friends while ultimately discovering that they can truly be happy.

PLOT:

Bob Harris (BILL MURRAY) is an American movie actor who's in Tokyo shooting a series of ads for a brand of Whiskey. Charlotte (SCARLETT JOHANSSON) is a recent philosophy major graduate who's also in the capital, but it's her photographer husband, John (GIOVANNI RIBISI), who's doing all of the work.

Both Bob and Charlotte aren't happy with their respective positions in life. Despite being famous and rich, Bob is going through a midlife crisis and no longer finds his marriage to his wife fun or rewarding. While Charlotte loves John, she's bored with being alone in a land where she can't understand the language, isn't sure of who or what she should or wants to be, and isn't happy that John is spending a lot of time with American actress Kelly (ANNA FARIS).

Suffering from recurring insomnia, Bob and Charlotte eventually meet and recognize that they're kindred spirits despite coming from different generations. As Bob remains in town for an appearance on a popular TV talk show, he and Charlotte soon become fast friends and explore the land while ultimately discovering that they can truly be happy.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Unless they're fans of someone in the cast or sophomore director Sofia Coppola, it doesn't seem too likely for any but the oldest of curious teens.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For some sexual content.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: BILL MURRAY plays an American actor who's in Tokyo doing an ad campaign for a whiskey product. Disillusioned and going through a midlife crisis, he strikes up a mostly platonic friendship with Charlotte while dealing with the differences in cultures via a dry sense of humor. He drinks and smokes some cigars.
SCARLETT JOHANSSON plays the young wife of an American photographer who also finds herself in Tokyo and unhappy with her life. She quickly befriends Bob, smokes and drinks a bit.
GIOVANNI RIBISI plays Charlotte's photographer husband who's always busy working.
ANNA FARIS plays a somewhat ditzy American actress who knows and likes John.; SCARLETT JOHANSSON plays the young wife of an American photographer who also finds herself in Tokyo and unhappy with her life. She quickly befriends Bob, smokes and drinks a bit.
GIOVANNI RIBISI plays Charlotte's photographer husband who's always busy working.
ANNA FARIS plays a somewhat ditzy American actress who knows and likes John.; GIOVANNI RIBISI plays Charlotte's photographer husband who's always busy working.
ANNA FARIS plays a somewhat ditzy American actress who knows and likes John.; ANNA FARIS plays a somewhat ditzy American actress who knows and likes John.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's been rated R. Profanity consists of several uses of the "s" word and slang for breasts, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Exotic dancers are seen doing their thing in a strip club (we see bare breasts and most of their bare butts in their g-strings), while it's heavily suggested that a married man has a one-night stand with a lounge singer.

The lead female character is seen many times in her panties (not in a sensational way), while a masseuse comes on to a client and wants him to rip her stockings (he tries to get away from her as she briefly pulls him down onto him). Various characters smoke and/or drink, and some have bad attitudes.

Some tense family material is present, while one scene involves a man pulling out and shooting what turns out to be a realistic-looking but apparently fake machine gun. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: We see a liquor ad featuring Bob with a bottle and glass of whiskey.
Miscellaneous people drink in a bar where Bob has some whiskey.
We see Bob shooting a spot for the liquor ad and see what looks like whiskey in a glass (he later says that it's iced tea as a stand-in).
Bob does a photo shoot for the liquor ad and holds a glass of what looks like whiskey but is iced tea. Someone asks if he's drinking and he drolly says, "As soon as I'm done" (meaning shooting the photos).
Bob has a drink in a lounge, as do others.
Bob has a drink in the bar where Charlotte orders a vodka tonic.
Various people have drinks in a bar, including John, Charlotte, Kelly and another man, while Bob also drinks.
After Bob jokingly talks about leading a prison break, he tells Charlotte that he hopes she's had enough to drink since the break is going to take courage.
We see a person who appears to be drunk.
Bob and others drink at a party where the night wears on and more drinking occurs, including Bob doing a shot of liquor.
Following that night of partying, Bob carries Charlotte back to her room and she never wakes up (she may or may not be passed out and nothing happens between them).
Bob and Charlotte drink what might be wine of some sort.
Bob drinks some whiskey while a lounge singer orders some champagne (that we later see in Bob's room).
Bob orders a beer with lunch.
Miscellaneous people have drinks in a bar.

BLOOD/GORE: None.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Bob and Charlotte lie side-by-side on a bed (clothed) as they chat and he briefly puts his hand on her foot. Although both are unhappy with their marriages, Bob and Charlotte teeter on cheating with each other (they do briefly kiss on the lips as they say good-bye, but nothing else happens).
Bob has an apparent one-night stand with a lounge singer.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: After a drunken patron gets rowdy, a bartender pulls out what appears to be a machine gun and fires at him and others (we see flashes of light from its barrel, but it must be a fake or toy as no bullets come out).

GUNS/WEAPONS: Bob watches a Japanese movie that shows a man with a sword already in his gut (we don't know from what and there's no blood or gore) as he falls over.
After a drunken patron gets rowdy, a bartender pulls out what appears to be a machine gun and fires at him and others (we see flashes of light from its barrel, but it must be a fake or toy as no bullets come out).

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Some crazy sh*t," "Shut up," "Give a damn," "Moron" and "Snotty."
A miscellaneous person has various tattoos.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): A song (heard in a strip club) repeats the line, "Sucking on my t*tties."

PROFANITY: At least 2 "s" words, 3 slang terms for breasts ("t*tties" in a song), 1 damn, 1 hell, 4 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "For Christ's sakes" and "God."

SEX/NUDITY: We see a stationary shot of Charlotte's midsection as she lies sideways on a bed (facing away from us) wearing partially transparent panties.
We see lots of Charlotte's thigh as she sits in the window of her hotel room in her panties.
We see Charlotte in her panties and a shirt standing on a bed, and then see her again in the same attire when John comes back.
A masseuse arrives in Bob's hotel room, a "gift" from someone else. She shows cleavage and a great deal of thigh as she wants him to rip her stockings (in some sort of game). After he finally understands what she's saying (due to her thick accent she sounds like she's saying "lip" rather than "rip" them), he barely touches her and she starts acting crazy and pulling him down onto her on the floor. He wants nothing to do with her and tries to get away.
We see Charlotte in her panties (and see lots of thigh).
A song (heard in a strip club) repeats the line, "Sucking on my t*tties."
We see Bob and others in a strip club watching various bare-breasted women dance and cavort about (in sexual ways including crawling on all fours and spreading one's legs while lying on her back) in small g-strings (that show most of their bare butts).
We see Charlotte in her panties.
It's implied that Bob and a lounge singer had sex as he wakes up in his bed the next morning and she's in his place.

SMOKING: Bob smokes cigars several times and once shares a cigarette with Charlotte who smokes several times. Various miscellaneous characters also smoke.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: There's some tense family material between Bob and his wife (who we only hear on the phone) as they're obviously not happy in their marriage. Bob also gets a note from his wife that he forgot their son's birthday.
Charlotte tells a friend on the phone that she doesn't know who she married (but her unhappiness is more with herself than with John).

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Midlife crises.
Identity crises (people not happy with themselves or knowing who or what they are or should be).
Visiting a foreign land where you don't understand the language.
Ad campaigns (commercials, photo shoots, etc.).
Insomnia.

VIOLENCE: Bob accidentally breaks a lamp while trying to get away from an apparently crazed masseuse.
Bob watches a Japanese movie that shows a man with a sword already in his gut (we don't know from what and there's no blood or gore) as he falls over.
After a drunken patron gets rowdy, a bartender pulls out what appears to be a machine gun and fires at him and others (we see flashes of light from its barrel, but it must be a fake or toy as no bullets come out). He then chases after that man who then throws a bottle back in the bartender's direction on the street where it breaks upon impact.

Reviewed August 15, 2003 / Posted September 12, 2003

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