Lost in Translation

Right now you can watch Lost in Translation in Australia on Netflix, and in the UK on Netflix and Sky Go — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Bill Murray is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Lost in Translation is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Lost in Translation gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Two lost souls visiting Tokyo -- the young, neglected wife of a photographer and a washed-up movie star shooting a TV commercial -- find an odd solace and pensive freedom to be real in each other's company, away from their lives in America. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson lead a cast with the timing to make it work. Lost in Translation came out in 2003. What keeps Lost in Translation from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Lost in Translation is a strong candidate. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Bill Murray's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.