Set in Tokyo, Lost In Translation is Sofia Coppola's second film as a director. Her directorial debut, The Virgin Suicides, saw a reasonable measure of success, but it was Lost In Translation that earned her an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The film stars Bill Murray, without whom Coppola said she wouldn't have made the movie, and a young Scarlett Johansson.
Murray plays Bob, a fading movie star who is in Tokyo to film a whisky commercial, where he meets newlywed Charlotte, who is accompanying her husband on a work trip. The two characters form a very intriguing and ambiguous relationship that forms the heart of the story. The beautifully crafted film is one-of-a-kind, but there are others that deal with alienation and the purity of human connection.
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Kirsten Dunst stars as the controversial archduchess in this period drama, also directed by Sofia Coppola. Based on the life of Marie Antoinette, the movie begins when she marries a French royal, still a girl. She arrives at the French court to sour reception.
Her reputation only gets worse when it becomes clear that she's too young and immature to behave like a royal. Meanwhile, an anti-royal revolt is brewing, something for which she is far from ready. The film is particularly noted for its bright cinematography and Oscar-nominated costume design.
On The Rocks (2020)
Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola reunite once more for her recent comedy-drama, On The Rocks. The film is set in New York, where a young mother (Rashida Jones) reconnects with her father (Murray). He's not exactly the most responsible of fathers, which makes for some comedic moments on their adventure through the city.
However, it also examines the relationships between parents and grown children. Marriage is also a big topic in the story, as Laura begins to suspect her husband has been having an affair.
On Chesil Beach (2018)
One of Saoirse Ronan's lesser-known projects, On Chesil Beach is based on Ian McEwan's eponymous novel. Ronan stars alongside Billy Howle in this delicately woven story of love and how easily it can fall apart.
Edward and Florence arrive at their hotel after their wedding, but soon become nervous about consummating the marriage. Flashbacks of their relationship, along with key moments involving their families, reveal more of who these people are.
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Set in 80s Northern Italy, Call Me By Your Name is the complex story of a confusing romance between two young men. Oliver (Armie Hammer) is a 24-year-old doctoral student who comes to stay with the Jewish Perlmans for his studies.
The professor's son, Elio (Timothée Chalamet) is at first annoyed by Oliver's constant presence in the house, but soon the two realize that they're attracted to one another. Much of the film is a bit of a cat-and-mouse game between the two, and the relationship shares a few similarities with Charlotte and Bob's from Lost In Translation.
Midnight In Paris (2011)
What makes Lost In Translation so memorable is its Tokyo setting, and how much its atmosphere is emphasized throughout the film. Midnight In Paris is another film that takes the characters away from their homes to a new setting - in this case, Paris.
Owen Wilson, who is surprisingly good in this dramatic role, portrays Gil, an author trying to finish his novel on a vacation in Paris with his fiance (Rachel McAdams). But as he gets lost in Paris, he starts slipping away from reality and the life he has pictured for himself.
Marriage Story (2019)
Scarlett Johansson also stars in Marriage Story, where she once again plays a wife who often feels alienated from her husband (Adam Driver). Though the title is Marriage Story, most of the plot centers around this couple's long, tedious divorce.
They're forced to reflect on their love and find ways to parent their son. Meanwhile, they're also trying to get on with their careers in theatre. Laura Dern stars as the lawyer for Johansson's character, a role for which she won an Academy Award.
Her (2013)
Another critically acclaimed film celebrated for its cinematography and nuanced portrayal of human connection, Her is about the relationship between a man and an A.I. woman. Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore, an introverted writer who purchases a female A.I. to help him write.
The A.I., known as Samantha, is voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Also appearing in the film is Spike Jonze - who directs the picture, alongside Rooney Mara, Amy Adams, Chris Pratt, Olivia Wilde, Bill Hader, and Kristen Wiig.
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey play a troubled couple who decide to erase their memories of one another after a painful breakup. While they try to forget everything that's happened between them, the audience witnesses memories of their past.
Clementine takes on several different personalities throughout the film, not unlike Charlotte and even Bob of Lost In Translation. The characters adapt and change based on the environment they're in and the people around them.
Revolutionary Road (2008)
Revolutionary Road is about a married couple who have truly gotten lost in translation. Once again, Kate Winslet stars as a troubled woman married to a more pragmatic man. April dreams of being an actress, while Leonardo DiCaprio's Frank gives up supporting her dreams.
Their marriage crumbles, and the two can barely stand to look at each other before long. Another Titanic castmate who reunited with Winslet and DiCaprio for this film is Kathy Bates.
American Beauty (1999)
Finally, American Beauty is a must-watch for fans of Lost In Translation. A suburban satire, this drama explores one man's spiral into depression even as he seems to lead the perfect life with the perfect family.
In his agitation and boredom, he pursues an inappropriate relationship with his daughter's friend, Angela. The age difference is the biggest similarity to Coppola's movie, but the film also dives into some other complex issues, like what people do when things go south in their lives.