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Lost in Translation
2003 · Movie · R · 102 min · ★ 7.4 · 93% critics
DramaComedyRomance
Two Americans adrift in Tokyo—one on a work trip, the other tagging along with a busy spouse—strike up an unexpected connection. As jet lag, culture shock, and loneliness set in, their time together becomes a quiet escape and a chance to feel understood far from home.
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Details
- Years
- 2003
- Release date
- 2003-09-18
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Critic score
- 93/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.4/10 (8,099 votes)
- Box office
- $119,000,000
- Budget
- $4,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you like quiet, bittersweet stories about loneliness, connection, and being out of place, similar to Sideways or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Not for you if you want fast pacing, big laughs, or clear-cut drama.
Pros: bittersweet mood; subtle humor; Tokyo atmosphere | Cons: very slow pace; thin plot; culture satire may offend
Themes
- hotel room
- adultery
- japan
- unsociability
- upper class
- pop star
- age difference
- photographer
- commercial
- karaoke
- homesickness
- culture clash
- +11 more
Awards & recognition
- Bodil Award — Best American Film · 2005
- César Award — Best Foreign Film · 2005
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 2004
- BAFTA Award — Best Editing · 2004
- BAFTA Award — Best Actress in a Leading Role · 2004
Show all 127 awards →
- BAFTA Award — Best Actor in a Leading Role · 2004
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Screenplay · 2004
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Cinematography · 2004
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 2004
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2004
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Director · 2004
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Film · 2004
- German Film Award — Best No-German Film · 2004
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Male Lead · 2004
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Director · 2004
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Screenplay · 2004
- International Cinephile Society Award — Best Actor · 2004
- Satellite Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2004
- Satellite Award — Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy · 2004
- Writers Guild of America Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2004
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award — Best Actor · 2003
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award — Best Director · 2003
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award — Best Actress · 2003
- Florida Film Critics Circle Award — Best Screenplay · 2003
- Golden Globe Award — Best Screenplay · 2003
- Golden Globe Award — Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 2003
- Golden Globe Award — Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · 2003
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 2003
- National Society of Film Critics Award — Best Actor · 2003
- New York Film Critics Circle Award — Best Actor · 2003
- New York Film Critics Circle Award — Best Director · 2003
- Online Film Critics Society Award — Best Actor · 2003
- Online Film Critics Society Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2003
- San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award — Best Film · 2003
- San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award — Best Actor · 2003
- Southeastern Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 2003
- Southeastern Film Critics Association Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2003
- Toronto Film Critics Association Award — Best Film · 2003
- Toronto Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 2003
- Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award — Best Film · 2003
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award — Best Director · 2003
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award — Best Film · 2003
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2003
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Bodil Award — Best American Film · 2005 · nominated
- César Award — Best Foreign Film · 2005 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Director · 2004 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 2004 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Picture · 2004 · nominated
- Australian Film Institute Award — Best Foreign Film · 2004 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Direction · 2004 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Actor in a Leading Role · 2004 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Actress in a Leading Role · 2004 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2004 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Editing · 2004 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Film · 2004 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Original Music · 2004 · nominated
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Screenplay · 2004 · nominated
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Cinematography · 2004 · nominated
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 2004 · nominated
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Director · 2004 · nominated
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Actress · 2004 · nominated
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Film · 2004 · nominated
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Director · 2004 · nominated
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Actor · 2004 · nominated
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Actress · 2004 · nominated
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Cinematography · 2004 · nominated
- Chlotrudis Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2004 · nominated
- Discover Screenwriting Award · 2004 · nominated
- German Film Award — Best No-German Film · 2004 · nominated
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Director · 2004 · nominated
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Male Lead · 2004 · nominated
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Screenplay · 2004 · nominated
- International Cinephile Society Award — Best Film · 2004 · nominated
- MTV Movie Award — Best Male Performance · 2004 · nominated
- MTV Movie Award — Best Breakthrough Female Performance · 2004 · nominated
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Award — Best Actress · 2004 · nominated
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Award — Best Director · 2004 · nominated
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Award — Best Actor · 2004 · nominated
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Award — Best Film · 2004 · nominated
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2004 · nominated
- Satellite Award — Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy · 2004 · nominated
- Satellite Award — Best Director · 2004 · nominated
- Satellite Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2004 · nominated
- Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role · 2004 · nominated
- Writers Guild of America Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2004 · nominated
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award — Best Actress · 2003 · nominated
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award — Best Director · 2003 · nominated
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award — Best Supporting Actress · 2003 · nominated
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award — Best Film · 2003 · nominated
- Critics' Choice Movie Award — Best Director · 2003 · nominated
- Critics' Choice Movie Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- Critics' Choice Movie Award — Best Original and Adapted Screenplay · 2003 · nominated
- Directors Guild of America Award — Outstanding Directing – Feature Film · 2003 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Non-European Film · 2003 · nominated
- Florida Film Critics Circle Award — Best Screenplay · 2003 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 2003 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · 2003 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Screenplay · 2003 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Director · 2003 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 2003 · nominated
- London Film Critics Circle Award — Actor of the Year · 2003 · nominated
- National Society of Film Critics Award — Best Cinematography · 2003 · nominated
- National Society of Film Critics Award — Best Film · 2003 · nominated
- National Society of Film Critics Award — Best Director · 2003 · nominated
- National Society of Film Critics Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- New York Film Critics Circle Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- New York Film Critics Circle Award — Best Director · 2003 · nominated
- Online Film Critics Society Award — Best Picture · 2003 · nominated
- Online Film Critics Society Award — Best Original Score · 2003 · nominated
- Online Film Critics Society Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2003 · nominated
- Online Film Critics Society Award — Best Actress · 2003 · nominated
- Online Film Critics Society Award — Best Director · 2003 · nominated
- Online Film Critics Society Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award — Best Film · 2003 · nominated
- San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- Southeastern Film Critics Association Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2003 · nominated
- Southeastern Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- Toronto Film Critics Association Award — Best Film · 2003 · nominated
- Toronto Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award — Best Film · 2003 · nominated
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award — Best Director · 2003 · nominated
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2003 · nominated
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award — Best Film · 2003 · nominated
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · nominated
Cast & crew
Bill Murray
as Bob Harris
Scarlett Johansson
as Charlotte
Giovanni Ribisi
as John
Anna Faris
as Kelly
Akiko Takeshita
as Ms. Kawasaki
Kazuyoshi Minamimagoe
as Press Agent
- KS
Kazuko Shibata
as Press Agent
- TA
Take
as Press Agent
- RB
Ryuichiro Baba
as Concierge
- AY
Akira Yamaguchi
as Bellboy
Directed by Sofia Coppola