Sofia Coppola’s 2003 film, Lost in Translation, follows the journey of young wife Charlotte and actor Bob Harris through the streets of Tokyo. Charlotte is traveling alongside her busy photographer husband on a business trip, while Bob Harris travels to Tokyo to star in a whiskey commercial. Both characters, though in different stages of their lives, find solace and connection amongst each other. The age-gap between the characters is a polarizing feature of the film, though their relationship maintains mostly platonic throughout the film, since they are able to connect with one another on a deeper level.

Charlotte is in her early twenties and grapples with the feeling of purely being an extension to her up-and-coming photographer husband. Charlotte, in the beginning of the film, is isolated and dealing with her sentiments alone, until she runs into Bob at the hotel bar. The two being, some of the few Americans in the hotel, strike up a conversation. The two find their first sense of connection whilst on this trip. They immediately start sharing their personal troubles and existentialist thoughts, since they have no one else who could grasp their situation. For example, Charlotte states, "I just feel so alone, even when I'm surrounded by other people." Things highlight the emotional disconnect she feels with her husband and her personal life. Bob, then later, responds with, “The most terrifying day of your life is the day the first is born.” Showing his disconnect, even with his seemingly successful life.

The location of the film serves as more than just a setting, it is almost a character in itself. The busy streets, the bright signs, the neon lights work in contrast to the depression the characters face. Tokyo is an overpopulated city that works to overstimulate the characters and add onto their previous feelings of loneliness. Bob and Charlotte, two Americans, with little to none knowledge about Japanese culture, amplify their isolation in the city. The unfamiliarity of 

their situations is what forms their deep connection. Coppola, along with the setting, uses melancholic “Shoegaze” music to add as another subtle reflection of Bob and Charlotte’s troubles. Sofia Coppola uses the song “Just Like Honey”, by The Jesus and the Mary Chain to show the moroseness of the ending of the movie, the song consisting of loud instrumentals and nearly inaudible lyrics. The last scene of the film is Charlotte and Bob sharing a tearful goodbye, clearly not wanting to leave the other, but nonetheless, Bob Harris has to return home to his family.

A reference of the title, both characters seem to find themselves “Lost In Translation”. Feeling hopeless about their future, in a city they can’t communicate in. She uses the language barrier and the characters struggle with communicating with the citizens of Tokyo as a metaphor for their inability to communicate with those who are closest to them. Coppola uses little details and expressions to portray how the characters are feeling, instead of being overt. She opts for silence and conspicuous body language, instead of constantly using dialogue. The film expresses the message of how difficult it can be to find true connection in an industrialized society.

Charlotte’s journey throughout the film mirrors that of the director, Sofia Coppola. She was a young wife to successful filmmaker, Spike Jonze. The pair were in the middle of a divorce during the making of the film, which is reflected throughout the themes in the movie. Coppola made Lost in Translation deeply personal and used her own emotional turmoil to jumpstart the making, using her own experiences as a reference. Which is likely why the film is more character-driven, compared to the classic cinematic trope of being plot-driven.