In a surprising turn of events, Bill Murray decided to ditch his usual "sincere insincerity" style of comedy and make a serious movie. And, perhaps even more surprising, it works. Murray gave an honest, understated performance and managed a believable relationship and good chemistry with co-star Scarlett Johansson. Even more intriguing was the almost schizoid portrayal of Japan, at times manically modern, technological and fast-paced, other times with the tranquil serenity that underlies ancient tradition. So why only two stars? For one thing, the movie was very slow, and while that was necessary due to the way the story was structured, it still dragged. Also, I just didn't understand what the film was trying to say, if anything. So, a good performance but not necessarily a great movie.

Viewed: 10/9/2003 | Released: 8/28/2003 | Score: C

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