Lost in Translation

Bookmark and Share
Bob Harris is an American film actor, far past his prime. He visits Tokyo to appear in commercials, and he meets Charlotte, the young wife of a visiting photographer. Bored and weary, Bob and Charlotte make ideal if improbable traveling companions. Charlotte is looking for "her place in life," and Bob is tolerating a mediocre stateside marriage. Both separately and together, they live the experience of the American in Tokyo. Bob and Charlotte suffer both confusion and hilarity due to the cultural and language differences between themselves and the Japanese. As the relationship between Bob and Charlotte deepens, they come to the realization that their visits to Japan, and one another, must soon end. Or must they?

Memorable quotes for Lost in Translation :



Bob: What are you doing?
Charlotte: My husband's a photographer, so he's here working. I wasn't doing anything so I came along.
Bob: What do you do?
Charlotte: I'm not sure yet, actually.

Bob: Can you keep a secret? I'm trying to organize a prison break. I'm looking for, like, an accomplice. We have to first get out of this bar, then the hotel, then the city, and then the country. Are you in or you out?
Charlotte: I'm in. I'll go pack my stuff.
Bob: I hope that you've had enough to drink. It's going to take courage.


Charlotte: I just don't know what I'm supposed to be.
Bob: You'll figure that out. The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.

Charlotte: I tried taking pictures, but they were so mediocre. I guess every girl goes through a photography phase. You know, horses... taking pictures of your feet.

Stills Photographer: Are you drinking, no?
Bob: Am I drinking? As soon as I'm done.

Charlotte: You're probably just having a mid-life crisis. Did you buy a Porsche yet?


Kelly: John, John. You are my favorite photographer.
John: Ohhh...
Kelly: No. You are. I only want you to shoot me. It's true.
[both laugh]
Kelly: Oh my God, I have the worst B.O. right now, I'm sorry.
[both laugh again]

Bob: For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.

Charlotte: That was the worst lunch.
Bob: So bad. What kind of restaurant makes you cook your own food?

[after a long speech in Japanese]
Ms. Kawasaki: He want you to turn and look in camera. Okay?
Bob: Is that all he said?

Premium Fantasy woman: Mr. Kazu sent me, premium fantasy. My stockings. Rip them.
[sounds like "lip them"]
Premium Fantasy woman: Rip my stockings. Yes, please, rip them.
Bob: What?
Premium Fantasy woman: Rip them. HEY! Rip my stocking!
Bob: Hey? Lip them? Lip them? What?


[rolling around on the floor, waving her legs in the air]
Premium Fantasy woman: Oh Mr. Harris! Don't touch me! Mr. Bob Harris! Just rip my stocking!

Bob: I don't get that close to the glass until I'm on the floor.

[at a photo shoot]
Bob: You want more mysterious? I'll just try and think, "Where the hell's the whiskey?"

Stills Photographer: You know double-O-7?
Bob: He drinks martinis, but all right.

John: Why do you have to point out how stupid everyone is all the time?

Lydia Harris: [over the phone] Is this a bad time?
Bob: [pauses] No, it's always a good time.
Lydia Harris: The burgundy carpet is out of stock: it's going to take twelve weeks. Did you like any of the other colors?
Bob: Whatever you like - I'm just completely lost.
Lydia Harris: It's just carpet.
Bob: That's not what I'm talking about.
Lydia Harris: What are you talking about?
Bob: I don't know. I just want to... get healthy. I would like to start taking better care of myself. I'd like to start eating healthier - I don't want all that pasta. I would like to start eating like Japanese food.
Lydia Harris: [icily] Well, why don't you just stay there and you can have it every day?
Bob: [biting his tongue] How are the kids doing?
Lydia Harris: They're fine. They miss their father.
[pause]
Lydia Harris: Do I need to worry about you, Bob?
Bob: Only if you want to.

Bob: You're not hopeless.

Bob: I was feeling tight in the shoulders and neck, so I called down and had a Shiatsu massage in my room...
Charlotte: Mmh, that's nice!
Bob: And the tightness has completely disappeared and been replaced by unbelievable pain.
[Charlotte laughs]

Bob: It gets a whole lot more complicated when you have kids.
Charlotte: It's scary.
Bob: The most terrifying day of your life is the day the first one is born.
Charlotte: Nobody ever tells you that.
Bob: Your life, as you know it... is gone. Never to return. But they learn how to walk, and they learn how to talk... and you want to be with them. And they turn out to be the most delightful people you will ever meet in your life.
Charlotte: That's nice.

Bob: Enjoy your fright.

Bob: Enjoy my jacket, which you stole from me.

Charlotte: So, what are you doing here?
Bob: Uh, a couple of things. Taking a break from my wife, forgetting my son's birthday. And, uh, getting paid two million dollars to endorse a whiskey when I could be doing a play somewhere.
Charlotte: Oh.
Bob: But the good news is, the whiskey works.

Charlotte: Let's never come here again because it would never be as much fun.

Bob: I don't want to leave.
Charlotte: So don't. Stay here with me. We'll start a jazz band.

Charlotte: 25 years. That's uh, well it's impressive.
Bob: Well you figure, you sleep one-third of your life, that knocks out eight years of marriage right there. So you're, y'know, down to 16 in change. You know you're just a teenager, at marriage, you can drive it but there's still the occasional accident.


Charlotte: [after Bob tells her of his back pain] I'm in pain, I got my foot banged up. Wanna see it?
Bob: [to Chef, sarcastically] How do you say no?
[sees the foot]
Bob: Oh, my gosh! When did you do this?
Charlotte: I did it the other day, it hurts, y'know?
Bob: Didn't you feel any pain?
Charlotte: Yeah, it really hurt.
Bob: That toe is almost dead.
[Charlotte laughs]
Bob: I think I got to take you to a doctor, you can't just put that back in the shoe. Well, you either go to a doctor or you leave it here.
[regarding Chef]
Bob: He's smiling. You like that idea? See they love black toe in this country.
[Charlotte continues laughing]


Director: [in Japanese] Mr. Bob-san, you are relaxing in your study. On the table is a bottle of Suntory whiskey. Got it? Look slowly, with feeling, at the camera, and say it gently - say it as if you were speaking to an old friend. Just like Bogie in Casablanca, "Here's looking at you, kid" - Suntory time.
Translator: Umm. He want you to turn, looking at camera. OK?
Bob: That's all he said?
Translator: Yes. Turn to camera.
Bob: All right. Does he want me to turn from the right, or turn from the left?
Translator: [to director, in Japanese] Uh, umm. He's ready now. He just wants to know if he's supposed to turn from the left or turn from the right when the camera rolls. What should I tell him?
Director: [in Japanese] What difference does it make! Makes no difference! Don't have time for that! Got it, Bob-san? Just psych yourself up, and quick! Look straight at the camera. At the camera. And slowly. With passion. Straight at the camera. And in your eyes there's... passion. Got it?
Translator: [to Bob] Right side. And with intensity. OK?
Bob: Is that everything? It seemed like he said quite a bit more than that.
Director: [to Bob, in Japanese] Listen, listen. This isn't just about whiskey. Understand? Imagine you're talking to an old friend. Gently. The emotions bubble up from the bottom of your heart. And don't forget, psych yourself up!
Translator: Like an old friend. And, into the camera.
Bob: OK.
Director: [in Japanese] Got it? You *love* whiskey. It's *Suntory* time. OK?
Bob: OK.
Director: OK?
Bob: [nods]
Director: [to crew] OK!


[Charlotte watches Kelly at a publicity interview explain her working relationship with Keanu Reeves]
Kelly: And we both have two dogs, and we both live in L.A., so we have all these different things in common.


[first lines]
Ms. Kawasaki: Welcome to Tokyo.
Bob: Thank you very much.
Ms. Kawasaki: My name is Kawasaki. Nice to meet you.
Bob: I've heard of you. Thank you.


[last lines]
Bob: Bye.
Charlotte: Bye.
Bob: Bye.
[Bob leaves Charlotte and walks back to his waiting taxi]
Bob: [to taxi driver] All right.

Charlotte: Why do they switch the r's and the l's here?
Bob: Uh... for yuks. You know? Just to mix it up.
Bob: They have to amuse themselves, 'cause we're not making them laugh.

Kelly: But listen, let's all go out for a drink sometimes. Yeah?
John: Yeah, yeah.
Kelly: You know, call me, okay?
John: Yeah, okay.
Kelly: Alright. Listen, I'm under Evelyn Waugh. Shh, okay?
Charlotte: [after Kelly leaves] Evelyn Waugh? Evelyn Waugh was a man.
John: Oh, come on, she's nice. What? You know, not everybody went to Yale. It's just a pseudonym, for Christ's sake.


Premium Fantasy woman: You like massage?
Bob: I don't think I like massage anymore.

Kelly: Everybody is always, like, "Kelly, you are anorexic." And, I'm like, "No, I'm not." I eat all kinds... I eat so much junk food, you wouldn't believe it. I'd have a heart attack...
John: I thought you were anorexic...
Kelly: Everybody does...
John: [gesturing with his hands] Yeah, because you look so...
Kelly: [enthusiastically] Thank you. I know.


Charlotte: [Bob is recollecting when he first saw Charlotte, in the elevator] Did I scowl at you?
Bob: No, you smiled.
Charlotte: I did?
Bob: Yes, it was a complete accident. A freak. I haven't seen it since. Just that one time.
[Charlotte smiles]
Bob: Like that, but bigger... bigger... mm-hmm... well, not that big!

{ 0 comments... Views All / Send Comment! }

Post a Comment