Sofia Coppola’s intelligent exploration of isolation depicts the tale of Bob Harris (Bill Murray), an aging American Hollywood star, who arrives in Tokyo to film an advertisement for Suntory whisky; staying in the same hotel is Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a young college graduate, accompanying her husband on a photography job in the city. Whilst often abandoned in her hotel room she ponders on the future of her marriage, Bob too is suffering similar detachments as his twenty-five year marriage becomes strained due to a midlife crisis.
One night at the hotel bar the pair meet when neither can sleep from jet lag, eventually a platonic relationship forms but develops romantically as they finally unearth a feeling of purpose on fun night-trips to Japanese nightclubs and karaoke bars. Once lost souls in an overwhelming bustle of the metropolis, soon conjure a spark to life as they immerse themselves in the bright lights of the Japanese capital.
What Coppola executes perfectly is the motif of silence – a smart decision from the director. To neglect much interaction produces a heightened sense of lonesomeness. This atmosphere on screen, is ironically set to the excessively ornate and busy backdrop of Tokyo which the protagonists view from their hotel window. The cityscape almost mimics a fish tank, although Bob and Charlotte are there, they look out to it as though they are not – illustrating the disengagement. Thus, the hotel becomes an opulent prison which prevents them from enjoying life. Almost all direct conversation in the film is between the main characters, this is because they are the only two people who understand each other, when minor characters talk to them, Bob and Charlotte feel like they cannot project how they really feel.
Apart from the dialogue suggesting the sense of lonesomeness, the cinematography also communicates so. This shot of Charlotte in a busy crowd illuminates a lack of identity, by situating a character that feels anonymous, camouflaged or lost into a large crowd, it creates a visual representation for the audience of Charlotte’s inner feelings.
Meanwhile Bob’s lack of identity is positioned in the opposite environment – a claustrophobic elevator. A Hollywood actor who slips away amongst a small crowd.
Wide shots of Charlotte alone are also included where she occupies only a small space on screen:
Consequently illustrating isolation. What is interesting to note is the similarity of singular shots between Bob and Charlotte:
Almost identical to the freeze frame of Charlotte in the bath, there is a contrast between light and dark sides. Our protagonists are tucked away in the shadows whilst looking out to the light, which in these two pictures is Tokyo. Perhaps this is foreshadowing that although they currently reflect in gloom, this city will ignite something in them that never existed before. Finally, both actors are unbalanced in their shots, but once Bob and Charlotte meet, they become centred:
As they confess their problems to one another Bob and Charlotte realise they are no longer alone in isolation, they find a common ground – they become balanced and centred in shot because they understand each other (emotionally, but also literally!) Essentially, the pair weigh out each others problems.
Bill Murray gives, personally, his best performance as Bob Harris. It is safe to say this film would not be what it is without him, to the extent that Coppola herself wouldn’t have gone ahead with production because the part was written for Murray. A young Scarlett Johansson also gives a beautiful performance as Charlotte. The chemistry is proven, if not yet, in the final scene – the infamous “what did he say?!” moment. Murray and Johansson’s kiss in the final scene is completely improvised between the actors, proving their relationship on screen is simply magical.
In conclusion this film will always remain one of my favourites, the actors on-screen romance is amazing; the direction and screenplay is amazing and so are the performances. I have read a lot of comments and theories about people trying to pin point what Bob whispers into Charlotte’s ear at the end, but the point is we do not need to know – I read somewhere that the ending resonates with the title of the film, the words can only be found in one’s imagination because all is lost in translation.
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