“Everyone wants to be found” is the tagline used in the advertisements for Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppola’s follow-up to The Virgin Suicides. The irreverent look at relationships and culture stars Bill Murray (Rushmore) and Scarlett Johansson (Ghost World). Usually, advertisements do not tell the prospective consumer a thing about the film, but in this case it boiled the essence of the film down to a bite-sized morsel. Both of the main characters are very lost in life and in Japan as they attempt to fight their way through life’s many transitions. Johansson (Charlotte), a recent college graduate that has been married for two years, is in Tokyo on vacation with her husband. The problem is that her husband is too busy working on his photography career to care that she is sitting in their hotel room alone for a good part of their vacation trying to find a path for herself.

Murray (Bob) is in Tokyo to do highly-paid advertisements for whiskey. He is a movie star well past the end of his American popularity (he made his last movie in the ‘70s) but at the height of his popularity in Japan. He comes to Japan in the middle of a mid-life crisis to find that he has missed his son’s birthday and is on the outs with his family.

Both of them are staying at the same hotel and end up meeting at the hotel bar at the end of their respective ropes. This sounds like something you have seen before, right? But here is where all of the clichés end. Lost in Translation is a surprisingly multi-layered film that attempts to find the essence of its two main characters. On the surface, Charlotte and Bob have little more in common than their nationality, but beneath that is a certain mutual understanding of each other despite the obvious age and culture disparity.

Lost in Translation works because the plot has a real danger of falling into a formulaic romantic melodrama at every turn, but time and time again breaks convention. Throughout most of the film, the viewer is led to believe that Murray and Johansson were going to end up in bed with each other, but as the film went on, a genuine friendship develops free of any romantic entanglements.

Along with the writing (which was also done by Coppola), the skillful acting of Johansson and Murray is an integral part of why the audience is sure they will end up living happily ever after together. There are several points in the film where Johansson will give off a look or sexual body language that makes what is in the script come alive. Murray’s genuine charm and wit throughout the film was another good indicator of his intentions that would never come to fruition.

In addition to the romantic subversion, there is personality development throughout. Charlotte’s husband makes it clear that she is snobby because of her Yale education. The script sets up traps for this to be pointed out, but fools the audience again and again. This is both used to keep the film interesting as well as to expand the character of Charlotte throughout the film.

Charlotte’s advancement from a curious tourist to one that has embraced the Japanese culture in all respects is another interesting aspect of Lost in Translation. Charlotte tries, in the beginning, to familiarize herself with her surroundings, but is always left with no understanding. As the film progresses, she begins having fun figuring out the culture with the help of Bob. They enjoy drinks and food together as well as quiet moments alone in the midst of raucous Japanese night life.

Bob, too, grows during the course of the film. In the beginning, Bob is very scared of Japanese culture and seems lost in a sea of misunderstanding and frustration. By the end of his vacation he is ready to start eating healthy Japanese cuisine and start listening to the “great music” that was playing in one of the clubs he visited.

Murray provides spots of comedy throughout the film. His misunderstanding of the Japanese and their customs is genuinely funny without mocking. By walking this fine line, the comic intensity is even greater.

As with any time art toes this line, it is possible for it to step over to the undesired side and this happened in Lost in Translation as well. Constant references to the differences in Japanese culture almost trivialize it. Too many references to origami, sushi, karaoke and video games can be a bit of a one-note song.

Aside from that, Lost in Translation defies the romantic comedy/melodrama genres while breaking audience expectations at every chance. Murray and Johansson exhibit great on-screen chemistry without being cute or creepy. This is a truly original film that is worthy of viewing for every type of filmgoer.