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.