Back to the Film Listograpy/Movie of the Day challenge, and on to the next category. This one is All-Time Favorite Independent Movies. My number one choice is actually my number one movie of all-time (see yesterday’s post), so I’m going to skip ahead to my number two favorite Independent Movie, Sofia Coppola’s Lost In Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.

Please note, most (not all) of the Movie Of the Day posts will have spoilers, this post included. Spoilers ahead – be warned.

Lost In Translation (2003)
Written and Directed by Sofia Coppola
Movie of the Day – Film Listography – Movie #2

“I just don’t know what I’m supposed to be.” – Charlotte

“You’ll figure that out. The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.” – Bob

Does age really change how you see the world, and yourself in it? Does it get easier, as Bob suggests to Charlotte? Do we believe him, or is he trying to convince himself that life has gotten easier?

One of the things I love the most about the relationship between Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) and Bob (Bill Murray) is the way it illustrates that at any age we are all confused and still searching for ourselves, and for connections with others. That never gets easier, in my opinion, but the possibility of connecting never goes away either. The latter, it makes it all worth it, for those moments shared with another, sometimes unexpectedly.

Trying to articulate the reasons and whys of my love for this movie always trips me up and has me uncharacteristically without words. It is a feeling, the way I find myself “lost” in the movie every single time I watch, and how completely emotionally moved I feel for Charlotte and Bob. Every time I watch I feel more.

At the end of the movie, Charlotte and Bob embrace, and Bob whispers something inaudible to the “audience” to Charlotte. I’ve always wondered what was said, and through the years, and re-watches, I’ve decided on various things that he was saying. The one I tend to come back to most often is “I love you,” in some way, or another, whether it is followed by “but I can’t”, or “maybe someday”, or “let’s find each other again”, it does almost always include “I love you”.

Lost In Translation ending

What do you think Bob said?