‘Translation’ is sweet sadness, ‘Tuscan’ is romantic

JOHN DEPKO

Good movie found in ‘Lost in Translation’

Two temporarily lost souls find an unexpected but very genuine

human connection in the pulsing neon landscape of modern Tokyo.

Bill Murray is outstanding as Bob Harris, a world-weary movie star

at the end of a fading career. He is in Japan to cash in on his aging

popularity by appearing in Suntory Whiskey commercials as the

requisite cosmopolitan celebrity in a tuxedo. Perfunctory phone calls

from his wife reveal a stale 25 year-old marriage on auto pilot.

Scarlett Johansson is equally excellent as the young wife of a

photographer who is enamored of the B-movie starlets he is hired to

capture on film. He brings his wife to Japan with him on assignment

but leaves her alone in the luxury hotel for days at a time while he

plies his trade.

Murray and Johansson’s characters are vulnerable in very different

ways, and so the younger woman and older man find each other during

their many trips alone to the hotel bar. Although never lovers, their

very real sharing reveals a sweet and tender understanding of the

other’s situation that goes beyond anything sexual.

In many wonderful vignettes around this wild town, the city of

Tokyo itself becomes a player in this movie. The rapid-fire foreign

language, the camera work and music enhance the feeling of

bewilderment endured by the central characters adrift in this

psychedelic city. They are strangers in a strange land holding onto

the one safe island they have in this alien landscape: the comfort of

each other’s company, always enjoyed with a wink and a smile.

Sofia Coppola wrote and directed this subtle, witty and wise look

at life and true friendship. While heartfelt and touching, she never

loses sight of the wry humor that Bill Murray brings to the screen in

his most rewarding role since “Groundhog Day.”

There are a few real belly laughs in “Lost in Translation,” but

there are constant reasons to keep grinning throughout this tale.

Call it a quiet comedy for grown-up minds with a touch of sweet

sadness.

* JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator

for the Orange County public defender’s office.

‘Tuscan’ is a mission of self-discovery

One women full of despair and pain wants to forget her past and

venture into a world completely foreign to her. A sensation of hurt

and agony encompassed her life the day she found out her husband,

whom she had been faithful to all years of their marriage, had had an

affair with another woman.

It is when she is offered a plane ticket to Tuscany, Italy that

she gets her chance to escape this world of cruelty and embark on a

journey of self-discovery.

Frances (Diane Lane) is a middle-age writer living in San

Francisco, suffering in the heat of divorce. Her best friend, Patti

(Sandra Oh), encourages her to leave the country and break free from

all the stress and seems to be devouring her life.

Upon reaching her destination, Frances finds herself purchasing a

home in beautiful yet isolated Tuscany, unaware of the reason for it.

She throws herself into a world of unknown possibilities and

eventually discovers the key to being happy.

During the first brutal days spent in her new home, Frances is

quite frustrated with her surroundings and handling them is an

absolute nightmare. One night, lightning strikes her property and her

washing machine is completely dismantled. Yet in all this commotion

and chaos, she develops a few new friendships that allow her to

pursue her ambition to be her own person.

One of these people is Katherine, (Lindsey Duncan) an eccentric

actress who always marches to the beat of her own drum. She offers

Frances many valuable pieces of advice and helps her redeem her

independence as a self-reliant woman.

Another is Martini (Vincent Riotta), the salesman she purchases

her home from. This man is a great friend, the type of friend who

offers advice and provides a reason to smile, no matter the

situation. With these two guardians watching over her, Frances learns

the true value of life.

The plots makes a unexpected twist when Frances meets a single

man, Marcello (Raoul Bova), in the ancient streets of Rome. He has

that air about him, the kind that is capable of seducing any woman

who would allow it. This encounter only adds to the thickness of the

action and leads Frances further down the path of self-discovery.

Before I saw “Under the Tuscan Sun” in full, I thought I was going

to be so bored.

The previews didn’t really appeal to me. It was going to be one of

those corny adult films with random jokes and phrases. But it wasn’t

entirely like that. I have to admit, I’m a hopeless romantic myself,

but it was really moving. Many people, men and women, were shedding a

few tears, and also chuckling at a few lines as well.

Although it appeals to more of an adult audience, “Under the

Tuscan Sun” still holds meaning for those younger because it still

reveals some valuable principles that many have some affiliation

with.

* SARA SALAM attends Corona del Mar High School as a sophomore.