The film bears a passing resemblance to Lost in Translation, but unlike Bill Murray’s character in Sofia Coppola's movie, Fraser’s Phillip isn’t quite as unmoored. He’s comfortable in Japan as a whole, but he’s still looking for emotional connection and career fulfillment in a country where he has no family of his own and where he’s still viewed as an outsider. Fraser, with his sad eyes and big frame, is superbly cast for this kind of awkward role, and he brings a sweetness to the film that makes Phillip easy to root for.

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