3. Lost In Translation (2003)
If Swingers was about being enveloped in the despair of loss and possibility in rekindling relationships, Sofia Coppola's, Lost In Translation is about being within the confines of a safe marriage and still feeling lost. Set in Tokyo, Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is an actor on business who sort of meanders about the city with little to no direction. The line that separates him from truly engaging people is one that is a cultural boundary that makes communication that much more difficult. That line of separation is reflective of his own marriage. Both he and his wife seem very much at a literal and metaphorical distance in their marriage, to the point of where they may as well be separated. His story runs parallel to Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson). Charlotte is an American who's been living in Tokyo for some time with her self-absorbed husband, John (Giovanni Ribisi), who is a photographer very much involved in his work in the entertainment industry, and as a result, is neglectful of Charlotte's needs. Both Bob and Charlotte form a bond born of a mutual sense of disregard and loneliness. What I enjoy most about Lost In Translation is that it doesn't set out to demonize either character for making the decisions they do. In a lot of ways it's about acting on a moment and doing what's right for yourself in a relationship. No one should ever come second or be forced to question the sanctity of marriage from within the relationship itself. Both Bob and Charlotte's actions are justified and while they never fully cross the line, their bond is far more meaningful than a simple friendship. Thematically, it's a very challenging film and goes against any traditional notions of a romance, but in a lot of ways it's very adherent to the idea. Even though some would be hard pressed to not take the leap in a relationship where there are feelings of confinement, Lost In Translation is a reminder that romance and love can exist worlds apart, despite age difference, distance, and status. It's very much a modern romance that can be unsettling to watch, but as the film progresses, you may find that it's very much a reminder of what should take precedence and what is most valued in relationships.