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Bill Murray, Tokyo and its environs, and the excellent soundtrack anchor this movie. Scarlett Johansson's manipulation of Charlotte's expressions propel the movie to its conclusion and climax.

1) In the early scenes, Charlotte is plainly bored and at loose ends. A little later, after she interacts with Bob at the bar, and even as they run into each other outside the pool, she is cool and her laugh is nervous.

2) One of my favorite scenes in the movie is the one in which Bob comes to pick up Charlotte for their first night out. When Bob pounds out "Wipeout" on her door she giggles for the first time, and when she spies his obnoxious orange camouflage shirt, she breaks into a big genuine smile. Her real feelings are revealed while she is cutting the label out of his shirt. Bob picks up the "Soul Search" CD. When he senses her discomfort (would her husband have ever sensed this?), he says, "I have that," and she is immediately relieved. As Bob gets up to head for the door, music starts playing and the look on her face speaks volumes.

3) The next night, after they leave the strip club, they run across the street until they see the truck with Bob's image on it. Charlotte is having the time of her life, as evidenced by her happy smile.

4) After Charlotte discovers Bob has slept with the singer, they meet up at the sushi restaurant. When Bob orders, he pulls Charlotte's menu from her hands and she gives him a look that could sink a battleship. If a woman looked at me like that I'd either flee or beg her to marry me.

5) The looks they give each other as they are going up the elevator on the last night make it obvious how they both feel. It would have been easy to overplay this, but it was handled well.

6) To me, the climax of the movie is in Charlotte's dazed, deliriously joyous expression after Bob hugs and kisses her. She looks like she has just taken some wonder drug. What Bob has whispered to her doesn't matter to me. Her expression says it all.

Guest, singing my life with his words.

No, but seriously, you really nailed it. It is so obvious that their feelings towards each other are genuine.

And the climax, aaw, it makes my heart ache. Glad you posted this and reminded me about those scenes. It made a sad day feel a bit better.

Their expressions throughout the whole movie were complete. Thats what really got to me the third time I saw it, how their expressions were showed so well to the way they were both feeling at the time. For example, when John and Charlotte were walking down the hall and they ran into Kelly, how fast Charlotte's expression changed has her husband let go of her.

I think it just came so natural to Scarlett and Bill that some people didn't appreciate their acting because it didn't look like acting . I think the expressions are what makes the movie tick. Its like you read their thoughts without even knowing you are.

I've always believed that the best acting performance in this movie was not from Bill, but rather Scarlett. Bill keeps basically the same expression throughout the entire movie, while Scarlett had the difficult task of establishing the subtlety of the movie with mere facial appearances. Everything she does in this movie is spot on, it is her performance that truly blurs the line between movie and reality for the viewer.

"[quote:fda0b63aaa="Chicken"]I've always believed that the best acting performance in this movie was not from Bill, but rather Scarlett. Bill keeps basically the same expression throughout the entire movie, while Scarlett had the difficult task of establishing the subtlety of the movie with mere facial appearances. Everything she does in this movie is spot on, it is her performance that truly blurs the line between movie and reality for the viewer.[/quote:fda0b63aaa]
I'm not willing to say either did the better job."

I dare say that Scarlett's acting was but a quite spontaneous reaction to Bill's improvisation skills and professionalism. She is great as Charlotte because the emotions she shows feels very genuine.

Bill is also great during the entire movie but I think that Scarlett really steals the show she is such a great actress and she's just so natural in the movie with her expressions

While the words they say in the movie are terrific..it's the things that aren't said vocally that makes them wonderful actors. They speak with there eyes and movement rather than through words. That's what makes this a very special film..that is what gives this film heart.

A frame Ive stopped on many a time. This was more than eyes meeting.
I think this is where 2 souls finally connected.
( I know my heart would pause if I caught this glance )

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Yes, in this Cinema class I am taking in College I learned that producers and directors watch the final cut of the film, before showing it to the public, in mute mode. One has to grasp what is going on by the expressions on the actor's faces, and this was well done by Scarlett and Bill. Bill had a depressed and lost look thorughout the whole film, sometimes while with Charlotte this would change. You could see his hungry eyes craving entertaintment and affection.
Scarlett had to do more facial expressions because the character of Charlotte was far younger and less depressed than Bob was. She managed to change her look quite a few times, and it was incredible. And I agree with findingcharlotte that stare can stop waves from happening.
Keep rockin'[/i]

yeah...
Hi guys. That was pretty deep...

and indeed Sofia points out in an interview that this moment is where Bob trips over a deeper meaning in what he was singing ( More than This ) and where Charlotte realizes that this man means something special to her , but she just hasnt quite figured it all out in her mind...

findingcharlotte wrote:A frame Ive stopped on many a time. This was more than eyes meeting.
I think this is where 2 souls finally connected.
( I know my heart would pause if I caught this glance )

[/img]

I saw "Shopgirl" a few days ago and Mirabelle's (Claire Danes) facial expressions are really the whole movie. They tell you what is really happening.

Sorry for such a late addition to this thread..I'm still kinda new here and discovering things as I have time to read over the threads..

I thoroughly enjoyed what everyone has said here and share in the depth of the thoughts as well.

Having seen the movie countless times as well, and having read this thread now, the way Charlotte's smile diminished slightly as she looked at Bob singing to her... would've made me stop in my tracks as well.

Its almost as if she now realizes the depth of their connection and that she may be in love with Bob. I know its silly but everytime I see this now, I feel very envious of Bob...

*shrug*

btw findingcharlotte..."Call me if you get lost" became so much more significant after I saw this movie. Nice sig

Thanks...that expression caught my eye as soon as I watched this movie and loved how it was used on the map she gave Bob.. If I was him..I would never lose that piece of paper..

Flyonthewall wrote:Sorry for such a late addition to this thread..I'm still kinda new here and discovering things as I have time to read over the threads..

I thoroughly enjoyed what everyone has said here and share in the depth of the thoughts as well.

Having seen the movie countless times as well, and having read this thread now, the way Charlotte's smile diminished slightly as she looked at Bob singing to her... would've made me stop in my tracks as well.

Its almost as if she now realizes the depth of their connection and that she may be in love with Bob. I know its silly but everytime I see this now, I feel very envious of Bob...

*shrug*

btw findingcharlotte..."Call me if you get lost" became so much more significant after I saw this movie. Nice sig

Flyonthewall wrote:Sorry for such a late addition to this thread..I'm still kinda new here and discovering things as I have time to read over the threads..

I thoroughly enjoyed what everyone has said here and share in the depth of the thoughts as well.

Having seen the movie countless times as well, and having read this thread now, the way Charlotte's smile diminished slightly as she looked at Bob singing to her... would've made me stop in my tracks as well.

Its almost as if she now realizes the depth of their connection and that she may be in love with Bob. I know its silly but everytime I see this now, I feel very envious of Bob...


*shrug*

btw findingcharlotte..."Call me if you get lost" became so much more significant after I saw this movie. Nice sig

haha, hey Fly, whats up bud...

hey everyone, i'm nw here, and this is my first post, and it great to hear the feedbak from such LIT fans, i'm a huge fan, ive seen teh movie like 38 times,.....so, every expression, every little comment, i have it down, i coudl litarelly write like 20+ pages just discribing this movie.....but i'm just gunna add on to this thread,

I think since there emotions are clearly shwon through their faces, and since you see the climax of them leaving, you can also see the emotion when their talking in front of the hotel (after the fire drill).....She asks when you leaving, and he seys "tommorrow", she puts on the 'great.......' look, like "why now" since they have just built this "you" and when she trusn around, she has already been crying, as you can tell by the tears, but when she sees him, she almost puts on a face like '"ob..i love you" face....now i duno about you guys but if she gave me that look, i think i would shead a tear, its the most beautiful smile i've ever seen, and then they leave, and she smiles as shes walking off screen, but such a powerfull ending, without any words.....tahts the best ending to any movie i've ever seen, i dont care who you are, that was beautiful

Throne1607 wrote: haha, hey Fly, whats up bud...

Heya Bud

Glad you can finally join us here.. needless to say.. I couldn't agree more with what ya saw I love those scenes as well. I think I'll just blanket the whole thing because every scene with Bob and Charlotte shows a deepening of their connection and feeling.

I guess thats why so many people loved the movie, it either shows something you've experienced or would like to experience.