In the twilight of his career as a movie star, exhausted Bill Murray (as Bob Harris) takes flight to Tokyo, to take an assignment as pitchman for a Japanese whiskey. Apparently, Mr. Murray is emotionally estranged from his American family. He shoots his ad spots, then goes out for a drink. At the bar, he attracts the attention of beautiful Scarlett Johansson (as Charlotte). Recently graduated from Yale, with a major in philosophy, Ms. Johansson seems to be having an early-life crisis to parallel Murray's mid-life crisis. Johansson is, apparently, being taken for granted by photographer husband Giovanni Ribisi (as John).

Writer/director Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation" is, like the lead characters, a bit of a bore. She does, however, score with an interesting and unconventional "relationship" between the characters played by dead-panned Murray and sexy pantie-clad Johansson. Yet, like one of Murray's amusing ad directors notes, there is a certain lack of tension. And, why would two Americans in Tokyo spend so much time in karaoke bars when the city has infinitely more to offer - you can get that stuff here. There was a parade of awards and nominations for Ms. Coppola, Murray, and Johansson, with Sofia's screenplay leading the charge.

***** Lost in Translation (8/29/03) Sofia Coppola ~ Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris