Fargo: Mike Yanagita

At first glance, the scene in Fargo where Marge Gunderson goes to meet and old friend from school, Mike Yanagita, doesn’t appear to add anything to the main plot of the film. However, it is very important to the character development of Marge Gunderson. During this scene, Mike explains a story about how he married a girl from their school named Linda, who apparently died of leukemia later on. Being an honest and almost naive person, Marge buys his story right away. Later on in the film, Marge chats with a friend from school and hears that Mike’s story was a lie and that Linda is healthy and very much alive. Marge’s friend also mentions that Mike struggles with psychological problems. After learning that Mike lied to her, Marge’s naivety lessens, and she returns to someone who may have lied to her during her investigation, Jerry Lundegaard. Had Marge not learned that Mike was lying to her, she may have continued on with her investigation without taking a second look at Jerry, who was in fact lying to her.

The Graduate: Ending

The ending of The Graduate is one of great interest. Elaine and Benjamin escape from the wedding and catch a ride on the bus to get away. The two take their seats in the back of the bus, smiling and laughing after they realize they had succeeded in getting away. Had the film ended there it would have been just like any other romantic comedy (but with a little bit of an artsy twist. However, the ending scene continues on, and Elaine and Benjamin’s elated expressions begin to fade as they sit in silence in the back of the bus. This simple extension of the ending by a few seconds completely changes the film from something very happy and rewarding, to something very dark and depressing.

Throughout the film Elaine and Benjamin had been rebelling against authoritative figures such as the parents. Seeing as they are the main characters in the film, you begin to side with them, and believe that they are doing the right thing. However, by watching the ending of the film you realize that there was nothing in the film saying that they were doing the right thing by running away with each other, in fact the film does everything to suggest that it is the wrong thing to do. Elaine and Benjamin were just running away with each other in order to strike back at the parental figures in their lives, and never actually evaluated their decision. In the final scene when their smiles where their smiles fade, they finally realize the truth about their decision to run away.

The Super Coen Bros

In the films No Country for Old Men and Fargo there are many reoccurring themes, some less important and some very important to their style. No Country for Old Men follows the story of Moss as he decides to take 2 million dollars of drug money for himself. Little does he know that this money belongs to one of the most ruthless killers there is Anton Chigurh. In Fargo, we follow the story of Jerry as he attempts to steal money from his father in-law by hiring kidnappers to take his own wife and ask for a ransom which will eventually go to him. In both these films money is a huge center piece and causes all the suffering to come. They both involve the police trying to do what is right, a theft who tries to take the money, and deadly criminals who will kill all in their path to achieve victory. In the beginning of these films everything seems to be working out perfectly. Jerrry is delighted with his plan and Moss thinks he has hit it big. Soon however, everything begins to spiral downward becoming worse and worse... and worse. The biggest message the Coen brothers are trying to send us is that no matter what you do, karma will catch up to you and justice will be dealt. This was the case for both Moss in NCOM and Jerry in Fargo. Although there crimes were as simple as stealing money their punishments become far worse. Moss is killed brutally and Anton faces charges for everything including all the deaths caused.

The Graduate

In The Graduate, we follow the complicated life of Ben Braddock as he returns to his home after 4 years in college. However, very early on the viewer will begin to notice that Ben's life is controlled and manipulated by his parents. During the very first scene we can see that Ben is not interested in his graduation party since its really mostly for the parents. None of his own friends are there and Ben is just a mere trophy in his mind for his parents. The way his parents speak to him and how he reacts shows that he is still a child despite being 21. They  order him around telling him to "come down stairs" and to do this and that constantly. Ben doesn't want to live with the fact that he is still a child so he is willing to do everything he can to escape that fate, even if it means having an affair with Mrs. Robinson to prove to himself that he is a man. Throughout the film he begins to develop into the man he had hoped to become through Mrs. Robinson and her experience. Soon he feels completely comfortable with himself as a man and decides to move on. He begins dating her daughter Elaine. In the final moments of the film when Ben and Elaine are on the bus running away with each other you begin to realize that they can never really support each other at all. How are they supposed to pay for anything and where will they live? This huge leap that Ben decides to take is what it really means to be an adult. Since they really can't do that, that basically means he is still a child and maybe on the bus during that awkward moment of silence he begins to realize that. 

The Graduate

Of all the films we have watched, I have definitely enjoyed The Graduate the most. For a 1967 film, Mike Nichols pushes the limits of the characters and storyline, and grabs the viewer's intention. This was intriguing because movies before The Graduate, had set boundaries. The idea of the main character, Benjamin Braddock, engaging in a sexual relationship with a much older woman certainly breaks those norms. This relationship made the movie such a success by targeting the rebellious youth culture of the 1960's. In their relationship, Mrs. Robinson has a lot of authority and power over Benjamin, partly because of her older age. The changing role of women is also reflected in Elaine's ability to make her own decisions, apart from those of her parent's. Elaine flat out rejects Benjamin at first, however they do end up getting married, which still represents the need for women to live up their role as females. Elaine was confident and interested in her self-fulfillment to step down from the alter and run away and marry Benjamin. The scene of them on the city bus can be interpreted in a few ways, but I like to think of it as a happy ending. They have both done what their parents expected to never happen, and they seem joyful and giddy as they stare out the window. Their facial expressions fluctuate over the next minute and seem to be saying, 'What happens now?'.  I believe the faces aren't expressing any regret but rather shock, and they are truly happy. This is a powerful scene as it is left to the viewer's interpretation.

No Country For Old Men and Fargo

After viewing both Coen brother's films, No Country For Old Men and Fargo, I was able to detect many similarities between the two. Both films took place in a rural setting, No Country For Old Men in the desserts of Texas and Fargo in the plaines of Minneapolis. Right from the beginning, the similar settings make it easier to draw connections between the films. On a deeper level, a recurring theme the Coen brothers have conveyed in their works is morality. The good and the evil are clearly distinguishable, and so is the fate of those characters. In No Country For Old Men, one bad choice is made by Llewelyn Moss in taking two million dollars in drug money, and from then on he is trying to flee his enemies whose intent is to murder. Similarly, Lundegaard is just trying to pay off a loan, when he chooses an immoral route of hiring kidnappers, him and those involved are bound for punishment. Jerry gets involved in even deeper problems like threats from the kidnappers. The Coen brothers do not let people who have done wrong get away with it.

Music in The Graduate (1967)

Matthew Collins

Music in The Graduate (1967)

In the film The Graduate directed by Mike Nichols, used various songs written by the folk rock legends Simon & Garfunkel. In the film the director had selected specific songs to illuminate certain emotions that the main character Benjamin feels. In the scene where Ben in riding the automatic walkway in the airport, the song The Sounds of Silence opens the movie and helps introduce Ben as someone who is alone and isolated. Repetition is seen throughout the film; the director uses the same music to convey a similar message. An example of this is Ben’s first sexual encounter with Mrs. Robinson in the hotel room; the Sounds of Silence begins to play again. This reminds the audience that even in a moment of intense emotion Ben still remains just as detached and lonely as he always was. Another song the director chose to repeat throughout the movie is Scarborough Fair, because the song emits a dreamy and light feeling. Nichols uses this song in the scene where Ben is seen stalking the Robinson house; it shows that he is still in a dream, but he needs to face reality. The music in the film was innovative for its popularity at the time and the fact that director was able to accurately use it to help develop Ben as a character.

The Graduate

First off let me say that it took me a while to realize that the song Mrs.Robinson was based off this song. Now with that out of the way, on to the movie.

I wont argue with anyone who says that my mom, dad and now myself all loved the movie, "The Graduate". Even though we are not finished with college, I sympathize with Ben. Even at the end of High School there is a feeling of being lost, and not knowing what will come, or what to do next. Looking back on The Graduate, there are many instances where we can see director Mike Nichols highlighting Ben's feelings through his directing techniques. The pool in Ben's yard always caught my attention. Whenever Ben was in the pool it almost seemed like he was escaping in his own way. During the long and almost aggravating scene where Ben is forced into a scuba suit, he jumps in, only to sit at the bottom of the pool; drowning out the outside world, including his neurotic parents. For all the times we've seen Ben in his pool, he is more content in the water than anywhere else; even when his parents and the Robinson's are there towering over him. Most people tend to be somewhat happy when in a pool, it's fun, relaxing and cooling on a hot summer day. But for our dear Graduate Ben, it is his escape. His escape from his parents, their 200 friends and yes of course, Mrs. Robinson.

Long Cut Long Length Pans of Love

One thing unique in the cinematography of The Graduate is the choice to have three long cut shots panning close up on Benjamin running, which not only are examples of impressive camerawork but also effectively isolate Benjamin from the rest of the world and show his love for Elaine. These shots occur when he first arrives at Berkeley, when he runs down the apartment building stairs after being evicted, and when he runs to the church after his car runs out of gas.

Two shots with the same framing but different focal lengths and subject distances vary in perspective. A shot with a larger focal length and subject distance will show less of the background and more of the foreground. This change in perspective becomes clear with dolly zooms, which continuously change the two, as seen below with a dolly zoom with focal length ranging from 24mm to 840mm.

In two of the three shots, the camera is very far away and has an enormous focal length. This means only the tiniest bit of background is shown. In the staircase shot, being very zoomed in was not possible due to the space in which the shot was filmed, but very little background is shown nonetheless. During the long-cut pan when Benjamin first comes to Berkeley, Benjamin seems isolated not only because of the large focal length but also because it is a high angle shot, meaning the little background showing is mostly the ground. The viewer only realizes Benjamin is at Berkeley at the end of the shot when the camera zooms out to wide and students dissolve in. The shot where Benjamin is running to the church isolates him not only by having a large focal length but also a low enough shutter speed  and large enough aperture and parallax such that the background behind him is very blurred.

In all three shots, Benjamin is isolated and in his own word. The only person or thing he cares about is Elaine and his love for her. Just like the viewer is unable to see his surrounding, the cinematography shows the viewer that Benjamin ignores his own surrounds because he is preoccupied with the thought of Elaine.

Part of Your World: Water Symbolism in The Graduate

 Tova Byrne

Part of Your World: Water Symbolism in The Graduate

Benjamin Braddock is established immediately as a fish out of water. When the opening credits of Mike Nichols’ The Graduate subside, the first shot is a centered, almost uncomfortably tight close up of Ben’s head in front of a fish tank. The fish swim aimlessly in their confined space and a figurine of a scuba diver (foreshadowing!!) amongst artificial seaweed as Ben sits for a moment. Ben is dragged from the solitude of his bedroom and submerged fully in the party, and as the proximity of this long take to Ben’s face and the bombardment of the well-intended questions about the future from his parents’ friends create a sense of suffocation. Ben is in a fish tank; this is the world he has been put in by his parents, and, although he may have other fish to interact with, he will always be confined within its glass walls.

In fact, the whole film seems to be hopping from fish tank to fish tank in a desperate clamor to escape. Ben fishes the keys out of the tank in his room at the very beginning of his spiral into his affair with Mrs. Robinson. For a moment, perhaps he has found a way out of his parents’ world. Ben spends an entire montage floating, purposeless, in his parents’ pool. “Well - I would say that I'm just drifting,” he says from the raft in response to his father’s aggravated questions about what he thinks he’s doing. But the presence of water in this film is beyond just fish tanks and water rafts, it also presents itself in one of the most classic moments of the film. As a 21st birthday gift, Ben’s parents buy him a full set of scuba gear. This succeeds in not only figuratively but almost literally alienating him (for there is no denying how unbelievably strange he looks in the complete getup.) In addition, it is but another instance in which Ben is suffocating in the world of his parents. The scene is uncomfortable to watch due to it being shot from Ben’s point of view (sound as well) along with the fact that as he tries to surface, his father pushes him back under for the sake of demonstrating this party trick for the sake of the guests. The camera zooms out and Ben looks small, almost doll-like in the pool, and we remember the figurine in the shot that we started with.

“In this case it was drowning in things,” director Mike Nichols explained, talking about how he portrayed Ben’s isolation in the film. “And the danger of becoming a thing, the danger of treating yourself or other people as things. So that preoccupation led to the choices of the compositions of shots, and where the camera was and how isolated he was.”

The Graduate

It was pretty hard to concentrate on the movie itself of The Graduate directed by Mike Nichols since I really did not like the main male character. I strongly disrespected him because he did everything the mother told him to do and he couldn't make his own choices. He was a grown man but acted like a lost child which for some reason really frustrated me. Finally at the very ending of the story he disobeys the mothers wishes and shows up at the daughters wedding and him and the daughter run away. This scene expresses the happiness they have while running away and a powerful chase for not listening to what is told to do. As soon as they sit in the back of the bus, the smiles fade and reality hits wondering what will happen next. This is the one scene I enjoyed the presence of the main character as he did what felt right to do for him and after he made the first step or that leap of faith to take the daughter away, everything else will come naturally if its all meant to be but the awkwardness as the end is extreme as the viewer can tell both the daughter and the boy wondering what will come next.

The Graduate

The film The Graduate introduces character Ben as a character with a boring life lead by anyone but himself. The key relationship in this movie is the relationship between Ben and Mrs. Robinson. At first, Ben was horrified and had absolutely no interest in pursuing an affair with Mrs. Robinson. Ben then realizes shortly after this interaction how little control and excitement there is in his life. Although he is an award winning scholar, his self confidence is at an all-time low now that he is no longer in school. Ben decides to pursue a relationship with Mrs. Robinson not only for his own sexual pleasure, but to satisfy his emotional desires. Ben does not use Mrs. Robinson for sex nearly as much as he uses her for someone to simply be with. An example of this would be when they are in the hotel room and Ben insists to Mrs. Robinson that they just talk instead of having sex. In their conversation, Mrs. Robinson laughs at the joy Ben has just knowing the smallest details of her stories, such as what her major was in college. This is because Ben is not used to this type of conversing, so even hearing the smallest detail will intrigue him. Ben doubts that he will like Mrs. Robinson's daughter because of the emotional connection that he has with Mrs. Robinson, he doesn't think it is possible to be close to anyone else. Ben is shocked when he starts to have feelings for Mrs. Robinson's daughter. They converse very easily, and their relationship is so much more innocent and meaningful. Ben discovers that his relationship with Mrs. Robinson was meaningless, and that they are better people out there with sweeter hearts, and that is why he leaves her.

The Graduate

The Graduate was a very good movie that used camera angles very effectively to show power and superiority in characters, especially between Mrs. Robinson and Ben. Mrs. Robinson throughout the whole movie but especially at the begining was significantly more powerful then Ben. The camera angles showed this by using a lot of low angle shots on Mrs. Robinson when it would seem that Ben is looking at her to make her seem dominant. Mrs. Robinson had the perfect attitude in the Graduate that mixed great with Ben's. The transformation of Ben from a shy, quite, nice guy to more of a Mrs. Robinson type personality was one of the main ideas that made the Graduate so entertaining. The movie is very funny because Mrs. Robinson uses her seductive ways to get what she wants from Ben but she then clearly tells him to leave her daughter alone. Instead, Ben uses the seductive things that Mrs. Robinson used on him to get her daughter Elaine. This is a very interesting turning point in the film and almost like a second storyline after Ben begins his relationship with Elaine. I think the fact that this movie was made in the 1960's makes it very interesting and a lot more realistic of a situation. I think for the same guy to have slept with an older mother and then also her daughter is something that would only happen in the 60's. This makes The Graduate a great overall movie and definitely a movie id recommend.    

The Graduate

Of all the movies we have viewed in Critical Analysis of Film and Literature, The Graduate was by far the best. Unsure why we spent all that time watching those disturbing movies, but hey whatever floats your boat. The Graduate harnessed romance, comedy and suspense. The twists and turns kept the viewer's attention even though there were times where the movie got a little dusty. And by those times I mean when he is stalking Elaine from when she leaves her home and travels all the way back up to Berkley. Playing the same song, Sound of Silence, a very dull and somber tune, over and over again. But just when you're about to doze off director, Mike Nichols, pulls you back in with some action and a change of pace, even though that led to another round about of the song it ended in good time. The twists and turns I am referring to would be from the very beginning Mrs. Robinson seducing him in his home at his graduation party. And even on from then his continuation of the affair, until finally he falls in love with her daughter, like what. Anyways, I was pleasantly surprised by this film and its ability to keep my attention, it held a very very interesting plot line and utilized many of the things we've learned in class.

Lost in Translation

Matthew Collins

Lost in Translation

Sofia Coppola’s film Lost in Translation follows two Americans in Tokyo who each suffer from the desire to connect with another person in a foreign landscape. The movie follows middle aged, washed up actor Bob Harris played by Bill Murray, and Charlotte a girl in her early twenties played by Scarlett Johansson. The two main characters suffer from lifeless and deflated marriages and feel isolated because of it. Coppola's use of the city of Tokyo, Japan amplifies this feeling of loneliness. The director highlights the fact that they are both so different from everyone in the city. Coppola shows this through many different techniques, for example; the scene where Bob is in the elevator in the luxury hotel, is filled with Japanese citizens who all appear much shorter than Bob. Another method Coppola uses to instill the feeling of isolation is language; the scene where Bob is on the talk show shows just how lost he feels because he can not understand anything the host is doing since, he does not understand Japanese culture nor the language. Charlotte feels trapped because she is in a stasis in her life. She does not what to do with her education and she is having trouble dealing with the fleeting love she has for her husband. Coppola’s title Lost in Translation depicts what the two characters feel in the film; they are both alone and detached in a city where they do not understand the language or culture but, they find solace in each other.  

The Graduate Post

          The Graduate was very similar to Lost in Translation in that it was all kind of one idea, very simple, dragging on in my opinion. I liked the Graduate better, but only really because of the director’s use/choice of music. The movie started off with Benjamin graduating, and not really knowing what to do with his life or what purpose he had since he wasn't in school anymore. He found Elaine through Mrs. Robinson, and from then one, he found his “hobby”; finding Elaine, being with her, pretty much to the point that he would do anything to see her, including stalking her. Simon and Garfunkel music played over and over throughout the movie, which I personally didn't mind because I like the music, but it also showed that Benjamin was kind of in a standstill and wasn't moving forward at all. The ending of the movie really tied together the rest of the movie and put it in a full circle for me. When Benjamin went barging into the church like a crazy man, banging on the glass for Elaine, this seemed like the last straw, his last hope for getting her. It worked, surprisingly, and they ran out and onto the municipal bus looking happy and excited to start a new life. After a minute, it was sort of like “now what” for both of them, and the sound of silence played again. Benjamin’s gaze changed, and once again he didn't seem satisfied because he had completed his “mission” of getting Elaine.

The Graduate and why Soundtrack is important

Wow. What a soundtrack. The majority of the soundtrack is performed by Simon and Garfunkel, and it fits the plot, characters and setting incredibly well. Songs like "The Sound of Silence" and "Mrs. Robinson" are used several times in different moods and fashions that fit various scenes. The sound of silence is generally used for softer, more somber, sadder scenes. Mrs. Robinson is usually used for faster, more upbeat signs and the like. Scarborough Fair is also used selectively, as a bit of a transitional piece to the latter half of the movie. It's used as a piece to represent the moving on of the plot and maturing of the characters.

Also, Mrs. Robinson sold a metric butt-ton,  and beat out The Beatles "White Album," so that's impressive.

The Graduate - Camera Angles

Mike Nichols uses different camera angles masterfully in "The Graduate" to enhance his scenes and to portray characters in different ways. For example, high angle shots are often used to show a character in an inferior position or mood, where he or she is not the one dominating the conversation or having their way. This is shown below in a conversation between Benjamin Braddock and Mrs. Robinson. Mrs. Robinson is trying to have her way, and as he put it, she is trying to "seduce" Benjamin. She is in a position of power, and is shown in a low angle shot in order to portray this (also shown below). Benjamin is shown frequently in high angle shots throughout the film, as he is often on the defensive side of conversations and interactions. Mrs. Robinson is usually shown in a low angle shot in her encounters with Benjamin because she mostly dominates him and gives him orders throughout the movie. Benjamin's lower position is confirmed when he unconfidently says, "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me.... Aren't you?" at the end of this scene. This is fitting, as the main plot of the story, and especially the ending, are centered around Benjamin and Elaine growing up and taking charge of their own lives. Since the scene I referenced (which is shown below) is earlier in the movie, I believe it serves as great evidence of character growth and plot progression with the use of different camera angles. Overall, this is very well utilized by Mike Nichols.

^High Angle Shot^

^Low Angle Shot^

The Graduate post

In the movie The Graduate, the element of music helps portray a major theme in Benjamin's life. In the very beginning of the film, the song The Sound of Silence is symbolic of the character's unknowingness of where his life will lead him after completing his freshman year of college. Through the use of close up shots and this particular song, the audience is able to observe Benjamin's facial expressions and the sense of loneliness and unknowingness he feels after his parents and neighbors ask him what he has planned for himself next. The theme of oblivion is a clear theme throughout Benjamin's journey as we watch him fall in to Mrs. Robinson's trap, all the while unaware of either of their intentions for the future. As the film continues, Mike Nichols uses the song Scarborough Fair/Canticle as his motif. By repeatedly incorporating this one song into several different scenes, it also helps portray Benjamin's feeling of stillness; no matter how hard his efforts, he is unable to completely win Elaine and her parents over. At the very end of the film however, Nichols once again uses The Sound of Silence, as the closing song of the movie while Elaine and Benjamin ride off together on a bus, totally unaware of where their lives will lead them next. While watching this film my attention was easily drawn to the intriguing soundtrack it includes, much to the credit of what each song symbolizes in Benjamin's life. In my opinion, what makes this film stand out from all of the others that we have watched in class, is the strategic and creative use of music to help keep the audience's attention even when there is no dialogue, and also portray certain characteristics of Benjamin as a person.

Lost In Translation: Isolation Through Cinematography

One of the essential themes/feelings found in Lost In Translation, is the feeling of being isolated from the outside world. Both Bill Murray's and Scarlett Johansson's characters are lost and isolated not only physically in the city of Tokyo, but also in their relationships. Along with the script, and characterization, one of the ways that isolation is expressed through the film is the cinematography. Many shots throughout the film, especially towards the beginning, show the main characters in a small portion of the frame, surrounded by empty space or an out of focus landscape. Having the characters' surroundings engulfing the majority of the frame successfully expresses the idea that the characters are isolated and excluded from their environment.

Lost in Translation - Overlooking the City

In the film of Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppola expresses an interesting way to show emotions throughout the movie whether it is the feelings being expressed between two people or individually. From the feelings of frustration to sadness to loneliness, Coppola pinpoints this devastation through awkward humor dealing with people who speak a different language along with capturing many shots standing out in the middle of a crowd. As this feelings begins to turn around when the famous star meets a girl the camera no longer captures the loneliness but the connection between two people.

In earlier scenes, the female character would stare through the glass of her window watching all she is missing out on through the day stuck in her room. A later scene when the famous actor and the girl are just hanging out together in the room lounging, a shot of looking out the window through the night sky and overlooking the city seems to no longer be a feeling of loneliness but a "high" positive feeling of being "on top of the world" when they are both together. This shot was shown by the focus being on the lit up city below and the reflection of the bright room and the characters having fun conversation seen from the glass instead of the earlier scene with soft gray and blue colors.

Lost In Translation - Why I hated It

Sofia Coppola's


The movie seemed to be more like a movie that was trying to be "deep". It was a calm film, and fairly subtle, but after a while, it just got boring. It seemed to be filled more with cool shots of Tokyo and Bill Murray, and less with an actually interesting plot. I get that the director was trying to tell a story about two people feeling lost and alone in an alien culture, but it fell flat to me. Basically, the whole movie was about two white people with emotional issues, finding each other and becoming friends in Japan. Okay. That was about it.
It felt like the characters were undeveloped. Yes, Bill Murray is a sort-of washed-up, wise-cracking actor with an inattentive wife, but that was about it. Yes, Scarlett Johansson was a lady that felt lonely, and was stuck with an inattentive husband, but that was about it. The only substance I got from their interactions together, were that they were both supposed to be quirky. And after seeing that trope done countless other times, this failed to engage me.

And the thing that topped it off was the ending where Bill Murray whispered inaudibly into Scarlett Johannson's ear. It was supposed to be a mystery, but to me, it fell flat. I honestly could care less about what Bill Murray told her, because I felt no motivation to care. I was unattatched to the characters due to the lack of interesting character traits, and I can already assume that whatever he said would be something cliched like "Goodbye" or "I'll see you again sometime". This movie was dull to me. Very much so.

Tokyo - Lost in Translation

Cyrus Burris

It's not very often that a film's characters and setting mesh together as one. Watching Lost in Translation made me realize that Tokyo itself, as a city, is one of the most important characters in the film. Now, while it does do some of the simple funny, little things (The tiny shower, tight elevators and the like), it also does what any good character should do, and brings out the best in the main characters. To see who someone truly is, place them in a foreign environment. They'll use their natural instincts to thrive and succeed. That's what Tokyo does for Charlotte and Bob. They're both in a weird stage of their life, and Tokyo as a new and different environment gives them the opportunity to "start over" in a sense. Their characters move and live differently. Tokyo does this to them. Tokyo is a main character in this film just as Bob or Charlotte is, as it truly brings out the best in everyone within it.